RELATION BETWEEN GAIT SPEED, KNEE MUSCLE TORQUE AND MOTOR SCORES IN POSTSTROKE PATIENTS

A study was undertaken to investigate the relation between gait speed, motor function and isokinetic knee muscle torque in stroke victims. T wo different gait speeds, freely chosen speed and fastest speed, were measured on a 10-m long walkway in 34 stroke victims (median age 71 ye ars) three months after the stroke. At the same time different motor f unctions were assessed, and isokinetic knee muscle torque was measured . One year after the stroke 24 of the subjects were again investigated . The two gait speeds measured were both slower than those in normal h ealthy subjects of the same age. The motor assessment revealed that th e group of stroke patients had light to moderately severe stroke sympt oms. The isokinetic muscle torque was significantly lower in the paret ic than in the non-paretic legs. The non-paretic legs were also weaker than the legs of healthy subjects. No significant changes in any of t he measured variables were found between the three months' assessment and the one year post-stroke assessment. There were some significant c orrelations between gait speed and motor scores and between gait speed and muscle torque, but usually of moderate strength. Multiple regress ion analysis with gait speed as dependent variable and combined isokin etic muscle torque and three different motor scores as independent var iables gave higher R values.