Influences of Cane Use on Voluntary Forward Stepping Movement and Associated Attentional Demands in Hemiplegic Patients
Date Issued
2004
Date
2004
Author(s)
Lu, Li-Hua
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of cane use on the movement, kinetics, and associated attentional demands of performing a voluntary forward stepping movement in patients with stroke and age-matched healthy adults. Methods: Eleven healthy adults (mean age= 55.5 years) and 11 patients with stroke (mean age= 54.1 years) participated in this study. The dual-task paradigm was used, with the volitional forward stepping movement serving as the primary task and the verbal reaction time (VRT) task as the secondary task. In the single, primary task condition, subject performed 3 trials of stepping in the cane-free and cane-use conditions, respectively, with each leg. In the single, secondary task condition, subject performed 6 trials of the verbal task in both cane conditions, respectively, during quiet standing. In the dual-task condition, subjects simultaneously performed 3 trials of verbal and stepping tasks in both cane conditions, respectively, with each leg. Stepping performance was reflected by normalized step length (SL), step reaction time (SRT), step single limb support time (SST), step movement time (SMT) and speed of COP (COPspeed). The attentional demands were reflected by VRT and accuracy rate. Results: With the use of a cane, anticipatory adjustments of the vertical forces applied on the cane prior to step initiation and more steady force generation patterns exerted by both lower extremities were found in the stroke group, especially when they stepped with the unaffected leg. Using a cane also significantly increased the SL of stroke patients when they stepped with the affected leg, and the SMT and COPspeed of the SRT phase when they stepped with the unaffected leg (p＜.005). Furthermore, it was found that the VRTs in dual task condition were significantly longer than those in the single, secondary task condition for both groups (p＜0.001), especially when stroke patients stepped with the affected leg (p＜0.001). The use of a cane did not significantly change the attentional demands of performing the stepping task for both groups. Discussion: The results indicate that using a cane significantly improve the dynamic balance, but not increase the attentional demands, associated with performing a forward stepping task for stroke patients. Patients’ attentional capability and the positive effects of cane use should be taken into consideration in the clinic practice of balance training of these patients.
Subjects
半側偏癱
單柺
自主性跨步
動態平衡
注意力
雙項任務
dual task
attention
regular cane
hemiplegia
volitional stepping
dynamic equilibrium
Type
other
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-93-R91428005-1.pdf
Size
23.31 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):d26ea6bada35246b6593a3e63e38b29d