Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 70, 898.

O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1990

ASYMMETRY IN GAIT TIMING I N HEMIPARETICS '

Institute of Physzology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague Recently Stuberg, Straw, and Devine (2) published an interesting methodological study on temporal aspects of gait. The aim of this note is to report on a simple complementary approach (1) which might be of advantage both in research and clinical use. The technique was based upon two electrical switches in the soles of the patient's shoes. Signals from these switches were transformed by means of a sim le electronic circuit into sequences of pulses of different frequencies which were transmitted (gy means of a simple and light telemetric system carried by the subject), received by means of a cheap FM radio, and recorded on a common tape recorder. The time intervals corresponding to the duration of steps performed with the normal and the disabled leg were then evaluated from the tapes off-line using a computer. The advantages of the technique were that the subjects were not wired to the equipment, i.e., were not limited in their walking over an "infinite" circular trajectory, and it was possible then to gain a Ion er series of values which could be analyzed statistically, taking into account dynamic changes, h e fatigue. The possibhty of measuring gait timing for both legs separately was practical as well.

FIG.1. Avera e step duration with healthy (H) and disabLd (D) leg in the grou of 14 clinically stabilized hemiparetic (cereimvascular) patients

The method was adopted for 14 clinically stabilized hemiparetic patients with central peroneal paresis always in two consecutive 3-min. trials (without and with functional stimulation of the peroneal nerve performed by means of the usual clinical stimulator Tesla LSN 105 during the swing phase of the step) divided by 10 min. rest. They had to walk on a circular trajectory of 5 m diameter, always with disabled leg toward the center. Anal sis showed that ste duration (interval between consecutive heel-off points of the feet) of t i e disabled le was cnger usually than that of the healthy one (Fig. 1). Stimulating the peroneal nerve in tke swing phase of the ste eliminated the foot drop and shortened the step duration of the disabled leg m absut 57% ofcases, either simultaneously wlrh prolongation (36%) or shortenin (21%) of the step duration by the healthy leg. In about 21% of the cases the stimulation of t t e peroneal nerve was ineffective; in 21 others a paradoxical mcrease of step duration of the disabled leg was observed, the clinical effect of the stimulated nerve being in both latter cases unfavorable. This simple technique was usehl in measuring temporal aspects of gait alteration and for testing the efficiency of improving gait by functional electrical stimulation of the peroneal nerve. REFERENCES 1. RADII., T., SN~DROVL, I., HACK, L., PFEIFFER,J., & VOTAVA,J. (1988) Attempts to influence movement disorders in hemiparetics. Scand. J. Rehab. Med S u p p l , 17, 157-161. 2. S T ~ E R G W., , STRAW,L., & DEVINE,L. (1990) Validity of visually recorded temporal-distance measures at selected walking velocities for gait analysis. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 70, 323-333. Accepted May 16, 1990. This paper was pre ared on invitation of the editors to encourage exchange of scientific work previously not availagle in English Address correspondep, to T.Radil, Institute of Ph siology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague 4-KRC, VidehskB 1083, ~ z e c h o s l o v L a .

Asymmetry in gait timing in hemiparetics.

Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 70, 898. O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1990 ASYMMETRY IN GAIT TIMING I N HEMIPARETICS ' Institute of Physzology,...
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