Gait analysis for poststroke rehabilitation: the relevance of biomechanical analysis and the impact of gait speed

Abstract

Many stroke survivors have walking limitations. The results of gait training in individuals who have had strokes are characterized by large confidence intervals for mean differences in gait parameters. An individualized approach to therapy is needed, based on personalized gait pattern indicators and sensorimotor impairments. Three-dimensional gait analysis can help clinicians design the best locomotor training strategy for their patients, and can determine whether a patient is responding to the chosen intervention. Spatiotemporal parameters allow the characterization of the gait of hemiparetic patients but, used alone, they do not allow the cause of the deviations to be inferred.