Hemiparetic gait following stroke. Part I: Characteristics

The biomechanical patterns that characterize the gait of persons who have sustained a stroke are reviewed. Reduced walking speed and longer stance phases, greater on the unaffected side, are reported. Variations in joint excursions include several deviations at initial contact and reduced excursions during swing. Electromyographic patterns have provided a classification method. Joint moment reports were variable, but included high hip flexor moments in late stance, positively related to speed. The muscle groups of the unaffected side performed about 60% of the work of walking across speeds. Commonly occurring gait deviations resulting from particular impairments or adaptations to impairments are identified.