Differences in Kinematic Variables in Single-Leg Stance between Patients with Stroke and Healthy Elderly People Measured with Inertial Sensors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to analyze the differences between kinematic parameters in the single-leg stance (SLS) in patients with stroke and in healthy elderly people measured with 2 inertial sensors-1 in the trunk and 1 in the lumbar region.

METHODS

Two groups of participants were measured: the first group consisted of 5 healthy elderly people over 65 years of age; the second group consisted of 5 patients with stroke over 65 years of age, recovering for more than 6 months after suffering a stroke, and who had been undergoing rehabilitation treatment for at least 6 months. Two inertial sensors were located in the participants: in the trunk region (T7-T8) and in the lumbar region (L5-S1). The SLS test was performed in 4 conditions: right-dominant leg, open eyes; right-dominant leg, closed eyes; left-nondominant leg, open eyes; and left-nondominant leg, closed eyes.

RESULTS

Significant differences in displacement in the lumbar and trunk sensors are highlighted in 6 of 36 variables. In the velocity variables, significant differences were only found in 1 variable. Differences during SLS between the affected and the nonaffected legs in patients with stroke were found in 5 of the 36 analyzed variables and in 1 variable in velocity. The intraclass correlation coefficients were higher than .866 (95% confidence interval: .828-.857) for all variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Only significant differences were found in 7 of the 128 kinematic variables analyzed in both groups, so that it could be confirmed that there are no significant differences in the static balance between healthy elderly people and people with stroke who undergo the rehabilitative treatment.