Article

Clinical convention suggests that foot posture and movements are
adversely affected by stroke and cause walking difficulties but there is little
objective data to support or refute these beliefs.
This study explores static
foot posture in people with stroke and their relationship to weakness and
spasticity and walking limitations. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Stroke services and support groups of two acute hospitals. Subjects: Seventy-two
stroke survivors with mobility limitations. Main measures: Foot Posture Index;
Demographics; Motricity Index (weakness); modified Ashworth Scale (spasticity);
Walking Handicap Scale (walking limitations). Results: About one-third of
participants had abnormal foot posture on the weak side, which was associated
with walking limitations. Most (70%) had a symmetrical foot posture with similar
frequencies of supination (13%) and pronation (16%) abnormalities. There was no
relationship between foot posture and weakness and spasticity; age was the only
independent predictor of foot posture abnormalities. Conclusions: A minority of
people with stroke had abnormal or asymmetrical foot posture and equal numbers
suffered pronation and supination abnormalities; these findings challenge the
beliefs that underpin the clinical management of stroke-related foot problems.

Langue : ANGLAIS