Relationship among Walking Speed, Stride Length, and Cadence in Hemiplegic Patients

Abstract

Twenty hemiplegic stroke patients and 15 healthy controls were asked to walk 10-m distance at maximum and usual walking speeds, and their walking speed, stride length, and cadence were measured in order to investigate the effect of stride length and cadence on walking speed. The hemiplegic patients were divided into two groups according to walking speed (Group A:≥60 m/min., Group B:<60 m/min). In all three groups, both stride length and cadence exerted an effect on a change in maximum and usual walking speeds. Although a difference in maximum walking speed between A and B grpuos was affected by both stride length and cadence, that in usual walking speed was primarily affected by stride length.