Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke?
Stroke survivors identify a reduced capacity to walk farther distances as a factor limiting their engagement at home and in community. Previous observational studies have shown that measures of balance ability and balance self-efficacy are strong predictors of long-distance walking function after st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Stroke Research and Treatment |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/646230 |
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| author | Louis N. Awad Darcy S. Reisman Stuart A. Binder-Macleod |
| author_facet | Louis N. Awad Darcy S. Reisman Stuart A. Binder-Macleod |
| author_sort | Louis N. Awad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stroke survivors identify a reduced capacity to walk farther distances as a factor limiting their engagement at home and in community. Previous observational studies have shown that measures of balance ability and balance self-efficacy are strong predictors of long-distance walking function after stroke. Consequently, recommendations to target balance during rehabilitation have been put forth. The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes in balance and long-distance walking function observed following a 12-week poststroke walking rehabilitation program were related. For thirty-one subjects with hemiparesis after stroke, this investigation explored the cross-sectional (i.e., before training) and longitudinal (i.e., changes due to intervention) relationships between measures of standing balance, walking balance, and balance self-efficacy versus long-distance walking function as measured via the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). A regression model containing all three balance variables accounted for 60.8% of the variance in 6MWT performance (R2=.584; F(3,27)=13.931; P<.001); however, only dynamic balance (FGA) was an independent predictor (β=.502) of 6MWT distance. Interestingly, changes in balance were unrelated to changes in the distance walked (each correlation coefficient <.17, P>.05). For persons after stroke similar to those studied, improving balance may not be sufficient to improve long-distance walking function. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-68f053fe489542298647cfc7680ae13c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-8105 2042-0056 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Stroke Research and Treatment |
| spelling | doaj-art-68f053fe489542298647cfc7680ae13c2025-02-03T01:25:41ZengWileyStroke Research and Treatment2090-81052042-00562014-01-01201410.1155/2014/646230646230Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke?Louis N. Awad0Darcy S. Reisman1Stuart A. Binder-Macleod2Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, 540 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713, USADepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, 540 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713, USADepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, 540 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713, USAStroke survivors identify a reduced capacity to walk farther distances as a factor limiting their engagement at home and in community. Previous observational studies have shown that measures of balance ability and balance self-efficacy are strong predictors of long-distance walking function after stroke. Consequently, recommendations to target balance during rehabilitation have been put forth. The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes in balance and long-distance walking function observed following a 12-week poststroke walking rehabilitation program were related. For thirty-one subjects with hemiparesis after stroke, this investigation explored the cross-sectional (i.e., before training) and longitudinal (i.e., changes due to intervention) relationships between measures of standing balance, walking balance, and balance self-efficacy versus long-distance walking function as measured via the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). A regression model containing all three balance variables accounted for 60.8% of the variance in 6MWT performance (R2=.584; F(3,27)=13.931; P<.001); however, only dynamic balance (FGA) was an independent predictor (β=.502) of 6MWT distance. Interestingly, changes in balance were unrelated to changes in the distance walked (each correlation coefficient <.17, P>.05). For persons after stroke similar to those studied, improving balance may not be sufficient to improve long-distance walking function.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/646230 |
| spellingShingle | Louis N. Awad Darcy S. Reisman Stuart A. Binder-Macleod Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? Stroke Research and Treatment |
| title | Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? |
| title_full | Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? |
| title_fullStr | Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? |
| title_short | Do Improvements in Balance Relate to Improvements in Long-Distance Walking Function after Stroke? |
| title_sort | do improvements in balance relate to improvements in long distance walking function after stroke |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/646230 |
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