The effect of strengthening exercises on biomechanical parameters of gait in chronic hemi paresis following stroke

Abstract Background: Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in all societies and the disability resulting from stroke most commonly presents as hemiplegia or hemiparesis. Objective: To determine the biomechanical impairments of gait in hemiparetic patients and also to evaluate the effects of functional, balance and strengthening exercises (FBS) protocol on treatment of these impairments. Methods: This clinical trial was performed in Kahrizak Charity Foundation in 2003. Thirty-four hemiparetic patients were assigned randomly as either an experimental group or a control group, and their gaits were assessed using gait part of functional, balance and strength scale (FBSS) before and after 12 sessions of intervention. The experimental group received FBS protocol and the control group was delivered with the same protocol but strengthening exercises. The data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon test. Findings: In experimental group, the measure of gait patterns increased from 25.8 to 36.8, velocity from 27.65 to 39.8 m/min and stride length from 67.9 to 90.1 cm (P<0.0001). In control group measure of gait patterns increased from 18.8 to 22.2, stride length from 42 to 45.7cm (P<0.0001) and velocity from 15.6 to 16.4 m/min (P=0.002). In experimental group, the cadence changed from 82.8 to 88.5 (P=0.113) and in control group from 71.6 to 69.8 step per minute (P=0.157). The mean differences of gait patterns - i.e. velocity and stride length between two groups were statistically significant (P<0.0001), however the mean difference of cadence was not significant. Conclusion: The results of this study support the effectiveness of muscle strength training to improve gait patterns, velocity and stride length in the chronic stage of rehabilitation following stroke.