Foot Posture in People With Paralysis on One Side After Stroke

The specific aims of this study are to:

• Describe foot posture in individuals with hemiplegia following stroke using a quantitative navicular drop test.
• Determine differences in people with normal, hypotonic, and hypertonic foot posture with regard to ankle range of motion, ankle strength, gait, and balance.

This is an observational design study to describe relationships between the variables. Measurements will include both descriptive and quantitative measures.

Thirty subjects with stroke will participate in one session of testing which will include: clinical assessment of foot posture using a descriptive classification system, quantitative measurement of navicular drop during standing, measurements of ankle range of motion, ankle strength, gait (lower extremity biomechanics and forceplate analysis), and static and dynamic balance. A chi-square test will be used to determine goodness of fit between classification with the descriptive system and the quantitative measurement. Independent one-way ANOVAs will be used to determine the mean differences in the foot posture groups for each of the dependent variables.

Inclusion criteria

• subjects must have a diagnosis of a single stroke with resultant hemiplegia and be able to stand up from a seated position and walk 30 feet without assistance.

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects will be excluded if they present with significant foot or ankle pathology, other medical problem that would affect gait or balance, or language / cognitive deficits that would impair ability to give informed consent.