Article

Interlimb coupling between impaired and non-impaired limbs after
stroke has been a common observation.
The aim of this study was to examine
interlimb interactions in force production in responses to altered visual gain in
hemiparetic stroke survivors. DESIGN: prospective clinical study METHODS: A
convenient sample of 7 hemiparetic stroke subjects (3 women and 4 men; mean age
56.0 years (standard errors 12.8) of age; history of stroke: mean duration 61.6
months (standard errors 53.3)) participated in the study. Subjects performed
bilateral elbow flexion to varying total force targets from 3% to 60% maximal
contraction forces with normal visual gain (1:1) and to a 10% maximal voluntary
contraction target with altered visual gains (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 2, 4, and 8) for the
force of the less-impaired, ipsilesional side. RESULTS: Across all conditions,
the forces produced by both impaired and non-impaired limb changed proportionally
to their maximal voluntary contraction force, such that relative contributions of
each limb's force to the total force remained unchanged. In conditions with
altered visual gain, high and low, the total force showed errors in the direction
of under-shooting. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that there is a strong
interlimb force coupling in hemiparetic stroke, resistant to distorted visual
feedback. It may reflect a default sharing pattern dominant after stroke.

Langue : ANGLAIS