Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms of contracture after stroke by comparing
passive mechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscle-tendon units, muscle
fascicles, and tendons in people with ankle contracture after stroke with control
participants. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Laboratory in a research
institution. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of people with ankle contracture
after stroke (n=20) and able-bodied control subjects (n=30). INTERVENTIONS: Not
applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Stiffness and lengths of gastrocnemius
muscle-tendon units, lengths of muscle fascicles, and tendons at specific
tensions. RESULTS: At a tension of 100N, the gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit was
significantly shorter in participants with stroke (mean, 436mm) than in
able-bodied control participants (mean, 444mm; difference, 8mm; 95% confidence
interval [CI], 0.2-15mm; P=.04). Muscle fascicles were also shorter in the stroke
group (mean, 44mm) than in the control group (mean, 50mm; difference, 6mm; 95%
CI, 1-12mm; P=.03). There were no significant differences between groups in the
mean stiffness or length of the muscle-tendon units and fascicles at low tension,
or in the mean length of the tendons at any tension. CONCLUSIONS: People with
ankle contracture after stroke have shorter gastrocnemius muscle-tendon units and
muscle fascicles than control participants at high tension.
This difference is
not apparent at low tension.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS