Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of vibration-induced ankle proprioceptive
interference on the locomotion of patients with stroke with intact and impaired
ankle joint position sense (JPS). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING:
Rehabilitation department in a tertiary hospital.
PARTICIPANTS: Ambulatory
patients (N=35) with unilateral stroke received an ankle joint repositioning test
and were classified into intact (n=16) or impaired (n=19) JPS group.
INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The plantar sensitivity and leg
muscle strength were tested. Patients were instructed to walk at a self-selected
pace on a computerized pressure sensor walkway under 3 conditions: no, affected,
or unaffected Achilles' tendon vibration. The stride characteristics of the
affected limb were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with intact and impaired JPS did
not differ in their plantar sensitivity or leg muscle strength. The differences
in the stride characteristics were nonsignificant between vibration and
nonvibration conditions. Shorter single support and longer swing phase were found
with the affected side vibration compared with the unaffected side vibration.
Patients with intact and impaired JPS did not respond to the proprioceptive
interference differently. CONCLUSIONS : After stroke, there could be changes in
the central sensory regulation for locomotion control and vibration-induced
afferent inputs from the ankle might be viewed as sensory disturbances. Further
studies that manipulate other sensory inputs are needed to gain a better
understanding of the central sensory integration for locomotion control after
stroke.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS