Article

Although the cane is prescribed to aid in daily living and social
participation in stroke patients, this study aimed to identify whether long-term
cane usage affected sensorimotor functions in the distal part of the non-affected
upper limb in relation to a tracking task, a nine-hole pegboard test, and
proprioceptive joint sense. METHOD: Forty stroke patients who were
divided into a cane using group (CUG) or a non-cane using group (NCUG)
participated in this study. Subjects were evaluated in a tracking task for
visuomotor coordination, a nine-hole pegboard test for dexterous hand motion, and
a joint reposition test for proprioceptive sense integrity. RESULT: Comparison of
the CUG and NCUG revealed significant differences in performance of the tracking
task, the nine-hole pegboard test, and the joint reposition test (p < 0.05). The
CUG had more difficulty performing visuomotor coordination and dexterous hand
motion tasks compared with the NCUG. Proprioceptive joint sense was also
deteriorated in the CUG. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that stroke patients
who use a cane for a long period, could experience decreased sensorimotor
function in the ipsilateral upper limb of a damaged hemisphere. Therefore, it
will be necessary to provide careful evaluation and appropriate therapeutic
intervention for stroke patients who require the use of a cane over a long
period.

Langue : ANGLAIS