title: Post-stroke hemiparesis: Does chronicity, etiology, and lesion side are associated with gait pattern?
abstract: Studies that evaluate gait rehabilitation programs for individuals with stroke often consider time since stroke of more than six months. In addition, most of these studies do not use lesion etiology or affected cerebral hemisphere as study factors. However, it is unknown whether these factors are associated with post-stroke motor performance after the spontaneous recovery period.
  
  
  
  To investigate whether time since stroke onset, etiology, and lesion side is associated with spatiotemporal and angular gait parameters of individuals with chronic stroke.
  
  
  
  Fifty individuals with chronic hemiparesis (20 women) were evaluated. The sample was stratified according to time since stroke (between 6 and 12 months, between 13 and 36 months, and over 36 months), affected cerebral hemisphere (left or right) and lesion etiology (ischemic and hemorrhagic). The participants were evaluated during overground walking at self-selected gait speed, and spatiotemporal and angular gait parameters were calculated. Results Differences between gait speed, stride length, hip flexion, and knee flexion were observed in subgroups stratified based on lesion etiology. Survivors of a hemorrhagic stroke exhibited more severe gait impairment. Subgroups stratified based on time since stroke only showed intergroup differences for stride length, and subgroups stratified based on affected cerebral hemisphere displayed between-group differences for swing time symmetry ratio.
  
  
  
  In order to recruit a more homogeneous sample, more accurate results were obtained and an appropriate rehabilitation program was offered, researchers and clinicians should consider that gait pattern might be associated with time since stroke, affected cerebral hemisphere and lesion etiology.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences , Cruzeiro do Sul University , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Lopes
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gama
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Coutinho
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Lucena
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina de Azevedo Lima
authors.initials: ACAL
authors.lastname: Brasileiro
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Emília Márcia Gomes de Souza
authors.initials: EMGS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Élida Rayanne Viana Pinheiro
authors.initials: ÉRVP
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Álvaro Cavalcanti
authors.initials: ÁC
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Raquel Rodrigues
authors.initials: ARR
authors.lastname: Lindquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Gait; cerebral hemispheres; kinematics; neurology; rehabilitation; stroke