Comparison of immediate effect of lateral wedge and uniform lift on the symmetry of weight-bearing during quiet stance and sit-to-stand activities among individuals with chronic stroke

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CONTEXT: Following stroke, weight-bearing asymmetry during stance and functional activities may arise from the compensatory pattern of learned nonuse. AIMS: The aim of the study was to compare the immediate effect of lateral wedge and uniform lift under the foot of the nonparetic lower limb on the symmetry of weight-bearing in individuals with chronic stroke during quiet stance (QS) and sit-to-stand (STS) activities. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This study was conducted in a physiotherapy department of a tertiary health-care setting and this was a cross-sectional experimental study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Convenience sampling method was used for this study. Eighty participants who fulfilled the study criteria were included in this study. The percentage of body weight borne by each leg was assessed using a force platform system during the activities of QS and STS during three conditions: Barefoot, ¼th inch lateral wedge and ¼th inch uniform lift under nonparetic lower limb. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc analysis were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: During QS activity, the percentage of weight-bearing improved significantly using lateral wedge and uniform lift (P CONCLUSIONS: Both lateral wedge and uniform lift were found to be equally effective in improving the symmetry of weight-bearing during QS activity. However, the introduction of lateral wedge or uniform lift had no significant improvement in weight-bearing symmetry during STS activity when compared with the barefoot.