Assessment of the function of walking in long-term post-stroke hemiplegic patients

Mariusz Drużbicki
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Andrzej Kwolek
Grzegorz Przysada
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Teresa Pop
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Agnieszka Depa
Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland
Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Poland
Institute of Physiotherapy, Medical Department, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszów, Poland
Instytut Fizjoterapii Wydziału Medycznego Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego, Rzeszów, Polska
Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland

Abstract

Restoring and improvement of the function of walking is the main goal of post-stroke neurorehabilitation, and regaining the ability to walk unaided is one of the measures of success of the rehabilitation process. A considerable number of stroke victims regain the skill to walk unaided, but the manner of walking is often inefficient, which in practice means a significant limitation to the patient's ability to move around the house and outside. As a result the patients functioning, and their ability to perform basic daily activities are greatly reduced. Goal of the study. Assessment of walking skill in long-term post-stroke hemiplegic patients and evaluation of correlation between gait speed and the maximum walking distance, locomotion abilities and functional abilities in the study group. Material and method. The study included post-stroke hemiplegic patients registered at the rehabilitation ward over a specified period of time. The qualified subjects experienced stroke at least a year earlier, could walk unaided and had moderate level of fitness in the lower hemiplegic extremity. The study group consisted of 48 patients (35 male, 13 female subject), with mean age of 64 years (from 50 to 85). The tested values included gait speed assessed with a 10-meter walking test, walking distance assessed with a 2-minute march test, balance with Berg Scale, functional ability in activities of daily living according to Barthel's Index. Results. The assessment of gait efficiency and gait speed showed significant correlation. No correlation was found for the level of ability to walk and the subjects' gait speed and walking distance. There was no significant correlation between the level of functional ability assessed with Barthel's Index, and gait speed or gait efficiency. Conclusions. The study group showed that walking distance significantly correlates with gait speed, while the level of the subject's self-reliance in the ability to walk did not correlate significantly with gait speed and walking distance.

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