Motor dysfunction of the "non-affected" lower limb: a kinematic comparative study between hemiparetic stroke and total knee prosthesized patients

Neurol Sci. 2009 Apr;30(2):107-13. doi: 10.1007/s10072-009-0031-0. Epub 2009 Feb 13.

Abstract

In patients with hemispheric stroke, abnormal motor performances are described also in the ipsilateral limbs. They may be due to a cortical reorganization in the unaffected hemisphere; moreover, also peripheral mechanisms may play a role. To explore this hypothesis, we studied motor performances in 15 patients with hemispheric stroke and in 14 patients with total knee arthroplasty, which have a reduced motility in the prosthesized leg. Using the unaffected leg, they performed five superimposed circular trajectories in a prefixed pathway on a computerized footboard, while looking at a marker on the computer screen. The average trace error was significantly different between the groups of patients and healthy subjects [F ((2,25)) = 7.9; p = 0.003]; on the contrary, the test time execution did not vary significantly. In conclusion, both groups of patients showed abnormal motor performances of the unaffected leg; this result suggests a likely contribution of peripheral mechanisms.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Efferent Pathways / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Gait / physiology
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / diagnosis
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / etiology
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / physiopathology
  • Knee Joint / surgery
  • Knee Prosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Leg / innervation
  • Leg / physiopathology*
  • Male
  • Mechanoreceptors / physiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Movement Disorders / diagnosis
  • Movement Disorders / etiology
  • Movement Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / innervation
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Paresis / diagnosis
  • Paresis / etiology
  • Paresis / physiopathology*
  • Posture / physiology
  • Proprioception / physiology
  • Reflex, Abnormal / physiology
  • Somatosensory Disorders / diagnosis
  • Somatosensory Disorders / etiology
  • Somatosensory Disorders / physiopathology
  • Stroke / complications*