OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of 2 interventions on ankle mobility, ankle kinematics, and weight-bearing symmetry during functional activities in subjects with hemiparesis after a stroke. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 16 subjects with hemiparesis after stroke (mean age 55.2 y; mean time since stroke 21.4 mo). INTERVENTION: Subjects received 8 sessions over 4 weeks of either functional task practice combined with ankle joint mobilizations, or functional task practice only. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in ankle range of motion (ROM) (not blinded), ankle kinematics during sit-to-stand (STS) and gait, and lower-extremity weight-bearing symmetry during STS and static standing. RESULTS: The combined intervention group gained 5.7 degrees +/- 3.1 degrees in passive ankle ROM compared with 0.2 degree +/- 2.6 degrees in the functional practice only group (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5 to 8.6; p < 0.01). No significant changes in ankle kinematics or weight bearing during static standing were noted in either group. The functional practice group decreased differences in weight bearing during STS by 9.5% +/- 6.47%, whereas the combined intervention group increased this difference by 3.37% +/- 5.29% (95% CI 3.26 to 19.46; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in ankle motion did not improve joint kinematics and may have prevented improvement in weight-bearing symmetry.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher