2009 Volume 12 Issue 1 Pages 9-12
Purpose: The obstacle negotiation gait (ONG) is a fundamental activity of daily living. In cerebrovascular hemiplegic patients (stroke patients), the weight-bearing rate (WBR) on the paretic limb necessary for an independent ONG was studied. Methods: One hundred and seventeen stroke patients were involved. The patients' average age at the time of the study was 67 years, and the average time from stroke onset was 102 days. There were 68 men and 49 women. Seventy patients were right hemiplegics, and 47 were left hemiplegics. The correlations between ONG and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time from stroke onset, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation, and the WBR on both the paretic and non- paretic limbs were studied. Patients who could perform ONG independently and safely were categorized as the independent group (IG), and those who needed observation or any assistance were categorized as the dependent group (DG). Results: The BMI, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation and the WBR for both the paretic and non-paretic limbs were significantly different between the IG and DG groups. In particular, the WBR on the paretic limb was found to correlate significantly with the ONG, and a WBR value of 80.5% on the paretic limb gave a clear cut-off value. Conclusion: Although multiple factors influenced the ONG of stroke patients, the WBR on the paretic limb was the most influential.
