Interlimb coordination during the stance phase of gait in subjects with stroke

Abstract

Objective To analyze the relation between contralesional and ipsilesional limbs in subjects with stroke during step-to-step transition of walking. Design Observational, transversal, analytical study with a convenience sample. Setting Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic. Participants Subjects (n=16) with poststroke hemiparesis with the ability to walk independently and healthy controls (n=22). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Bilateral lower limbs electromyographic activity of the soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, and vastus medialis (VM) muscles and the ground reaction force were analyzed during double-support and terminal stance phases of gait. Results The propulsive impulse of the contralesional trailing limb was negatively correlated with the braking impulse of the leading limb during double support (r=-.639, P=.01). A moderate functional relation was observed between thigh muscles (r=-.529, P=.035), and a strong and moderate dysfunctional relation was found between the plantar flexors of the ipsilesional limb and the vastus medialis of the contralesional limb, respectively (SOL-VM, r=-.80, P