Article

The search for reliable techniques to assess gait in stroke patients
is crucial for the design and follow-up of rehabilitation programs. OBJECTIVE: To
assess the reproducibility of kinematic and kinetic gait parameters in chronic
stroke patients using a three-dimensional gait analysis system. METHODS: Ten
chronic stroke patients were assessed while walking along a 20 m walkway at their
natural speed, using a gait analysis system of six infrared cameras and two force
plates. Each patient performed 10 gait trials on 2 separate days.
Inter-measurement agreement was assessed with the Coefficient of Multiple
Correlation, while Root Mean Square Differences were used to quantify the
variability of the trials. RESULTS: The majority of kinetics and kinematics
showed excellent reproducibility in all patients. Joints' power seemed to be more
reliable compared with joints' angle and moment. Most parameters presented
greater variability in non-paretic than the paretic leg, while they were less
variable in the sagittal compared with the non-sagittal planes. Less than 10
trials were sufficient to obtain excellent reproducibility for most kinematic and
kinetic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The reproducibility of movement assessment
through three-dimensional gait analysis appears excellent in chronic stroke patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS