The effects of measurement environment on the gait velocity and balance of stroke patients

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine between an hospital environment and a outdoor environment of differences the gait velocity and balance ability of hemiplegia patients, who had received an eightweek rehabilitation treatment for gait and balance [Subjects] A total of 27 hemiplegia patients participated. [Methods] Before and a the rehabilitation treatment, 30 m gait tests and six-minute gait tests were carried out in a hospital environment and a outdoor environment to measure the subjects' gait velocities. To measure their balance, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test were conducted. The paired t-test was performed to verify the statistical differences between the before and after measurements in the two environments. [Results] The results showed an improvement in the 30 m and six-minute gait tests after the treatment in the hospital environment, but not in the outdoor environment, while the BBS and TUG scores improved after the treatment in both environments. These results suggest the necessity of studies on rehabilitation treatment methods, which can help hemiplegia patients to adapt gait velocity and balance ability to outdoor environments. [Conclusion] In conclusion the results highlight that the measurement environment can affect the outcome of the test and researchers should take this into consideration when testing.