title: Balance Impairments after Brachial Plexus Injury as Assessed through Clinical and Posturographic Evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a sensorimotor deficit of the upper limb following a brachial plexus injury (BPI) affects the upright balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with a unilateral BPI and 11 healthy subjects were recruited. The balance assessment included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the number of feet touches on the ground while performing a 60 s single-leg stance and posturographic assessment (eyes open and feet placed hip-width apart during a single 60 s trial). The body weight distribution (BWD) between the legs was estimated from the center of pressure (COP) lateral position. The COP variability was quantified in the anterior-posterior and lateral directions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BPI patients presented lower BBS scores (p = 0.048) and a higher frequency of feet touches during the single-leg stance (p = 0.042) compared with those of the healthy subjects. An asymmetric BWD toward the side opposite the affected arm was shown by 73% of BPI patients. Finally, higher COP variability was observed in BPI patients compared with healthy subjects for anterior-posterior (p = 0.020), but not for lateral direction (p = 0.818).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that upper limb sensorimotor deficits following BPI affect body balance, serving as a warning for the clinical community about the need to prevent and treat the secondary outcomes of this condition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia II, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Neurociência e Reabilitação, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lidiane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia II, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Centro Universitário Augusto MottaRio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia II, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Centro Universitário Augusto MottaRio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia II, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Neurociência e Reabilitação, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Guedes Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Neurociência e Reabilitação, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Centro Universitário Augusto MottaRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e EnsinoRio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erika C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia II, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Neurociência e Reabilitação, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Vargas
keywords: brachial plexus; peripheral nerve injuries; postural balance; posturography; weight-bearing
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