Article

OBJECTIVES: To establish the deficits of motor coordination of the lower limbs
after stroke, in comparison with healthy controls, and to investigate whether the
magnitude of the deficits would be influenced by the levels of motor recovery.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Chronic stroke patients and healthy
subjects. METHODS: Lower-limb motor coordination of both stroke and healthy
volunteers was measured using the Lower Extremity Motor Coordination Test (LEMOCOT). The motor coordination deficits of the participants with stroke were
analysed all together and separated, according to their levels of motor recovery,
measured using the Fugl-Meyer lower-limb motor section scores. RESULTS:
Ninety-seven individuals with chronic stroke, 55 men, mean age 58 years, were
evaluated. Motor coordination was significantly impaired on both paretic (mean:
-22 touches; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) -24 to -19; deficit: 61%) and
non-paretic (mean -6 touches; 95% CI -8 to -4; deficit: 17%) lower limbs.
Significant differences in the LEMOCOT scores were found between the levels of
motor recovery (p < 0.01), except between the participants with marked and
moderate impairments. CONCLUSION: Motor coordination of the lower limbs is
significantly impaired after stroke, but the deficits of the non-paretic lower
limb (17%) appear not to be clinically relevant. These findings suggest that
interventions prescribed to improve motor coordination after stroke should focus
on the paretic lower limb and/or include bilateral activities.

Langue : ANGLAIS