Article

OBJECTIVES: To assess muscle strength, aerobic capacity, and walking performance
compared with normative values in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients and,
thereby, to investigate the potential for endurance and resistance training.
Second, to study the relations between muscle strength, aerobic capacity, and
walking performance using normalized test values. DESIGN: Population-based,
cross-sectional study. SETTING: University hospital, outpatient clinic.
PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=48) aged 50 to 80 years with reduced muscle strength
and walking capacity due to an ischemic stroke 6 to 36 months prior to
recruitment. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak oxygen consumption
(Vo(2)peak) and isometric knee extensor muscle strength at the paretic knee were
expressed as absolute and normalized values using normative data. The six-minute
walk test (6MWT) and the habitual ten-meter walk test (10MWT) were secondary
parameters. RESULTS: Peak Vo(2) was 77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71-84) of
the expected value, and the strength of the paretic knee was 71% (95% CI, 64-78),
whereas walking speed (10MWT) was 59% (95% CI, 52-66) and walking distance (6MWT)
was 59% (95% CI, 52-67). The normalized Vo(2)peak correlated to the normalized
6MWT (r=.58; P<.001) and normalized 10MWT (r=.53; P<.001). Normalized strength of
the paretic knee correlated to normalized 6MWT (r=.40; P<.01) and normalized
10MWT (r=.31; P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lower extremity muscle strength and aerobic
capacity are related to walking performance, which suggests a potential for
endurance and resistance training in rehabilitation of walking performance in
chronic hemiparesis after stroke. Correction for the influence of age, weight,
and height providing normalized values improves the interpretation of severity of
impairments and enables comparisons between patients.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS