Article

Weight bearing through, or "loading" of, the paretic lower extremity
and transfer of weight from one lower extremity to the other are important
impairment-level goals of stroke rehabilitation. Improvements in these
limb-loading and weight-transfer abilities have been shown to relate to improved
performance of many functional activities. Unfortunately, valid and practical
clinical measures of paretic-lower-extremity loading and weight transfer have not
been identified. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess convergent
validity of the Step Test (ST) and the knee extension component of the Upright
Motor Control Test (UMCe) as measures of paretic-limb loading and of the
Repetitive Reach Test (RR) as a measure of weight transfer in the first 6 months
after stroke. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study of 33 adults with
lower-extremity motor impairment following unilateral, noncerebellar stroke.
Participants were tested one time per month from 1 to 6 months poststroke.
RESULTS: Scores on the ST (performed with the nonparetic leg as the stepping leg)
and UMCe were positively correlated with peak vertical ground reaction forces
(GRFs) beneath the paretic limb during functional tasks (R(2)=.35-.76 for the ST,
pseudo R(2)=.21-.34 for the UMCe). Scores on the RR were positively correlated
with change in vertical GRF beneath the paretic limb during the diagonal reach
task (R(2)=.45) and with weight-transfer time during stepping with the nonparetic
limb (R(2)=.15). CONCLUSIONS: The ST, performed with the nonparetic leg as the
stepping leg, is a valid measure of paretic-limb loading during stroke recovery.
Of the clinical measures tested, the ST correlated most strongly with the force
platform measures.

Langue : ANGLAIS