The Relationship between the Quantitative Classification for Sitting-Potition Balance and Walking Ability in Patients with Postapoplectic Hemiplegia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to classify the patterns of sitting-potition balance as an indicator to estimate the prognostic walking ability in a patient with postapoplectic hemiplegia, also aiming at an improvement of the balance. The static and dynamic sitting-balances in 46 patients with postapoplectic hemiplegia could be classified into 4 groups according to the cluster analysis. Based on this classification, the differences in walking abilities between the times of admission and discharge were analyzed by the variance analysis method. In addition, the time-course changes in the walking ability and the sitting balance were compared in each group and the following results were obtained.
(1) Although there were no differences in walking ability among the groups at the time of admission, significant differences were found at the time of discharge.
(2) There was a specific correlation between the time-course changes in walking ability and sitting-position balance in either of the four groups.
These results suggest that the quantitative classification for sitting-position balance is available as an indicator to estimate prognostic walking ability inconsideration of its improvement.