Abstract
Post-stroke gait dysfunction occurs at a very high prevalence. A practical method to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of hemiparetic gait is needed in both clinical and community settings. This study developed a 10-channeled textile capacitive pressure sensing insole (TCPSI) with a real-time monitoring system and tested its performance through hemiparetic gait pattern analysis. Thirty-five subjects (18 hemiparetic, 17 healthy) walked down a 40-m long corridor at a comfortable speed while wearing TCPSI inside the shoe. For gait analysis, the percentage of the plantar pressure difference (PPD), the step count, the stride time, the coefficient of variation, and the phase coordination index (PCI) were used. The results of the stroke patients showed a threefold higher PPD, a higher step count (41.61 ± 10.7), a longer average stride time on the affected side, a lower mean plantar pressure on the affected side, higher plantar pressure in the toe area and the lateral side of the foot, and a threefold higher PCI (hemi: 19.50 ± 13.86%, healthy: 5.62 ± 5.05%) compared to healthy subjects. This study confirmed that TCPSI is a promising tool for distinguishing hemiparetic gait patterns and thus may be used as a wearable gait function evaluation tool, the external feedback gait training device, and a simple gait pattern analyzer for both hemiparetic patients and healthy individuals.
Highlights
The post stroke gait disturbance is one of the major complications that requires a long-term rehabilitation and limits the patient’s activities of daily living [1]
The improved gait function is an important factor in returning to social life and is an essential goal of rehabilitation therapy [2]
This study developed a wearable textile capacitive pressure-sensing insole to test its feasibility in analyzing hemiparetic gait patterns and distinguishing its characteristics from normal gait
Summary
The post stroke gait disturbance is one of the major complications that requires a long-term rehabilitation and limits the patient’s activities of daily living [1]. The critical consequences of the impaired walking ability after a stroke include a reduction in gait speed, shorter step and stride lengths, and an increased fall risk [5,6]. These residual deficits are mainly caused by muscle weakness and imbalance, decreased weight support on the affected side, and asymmetrical intralimb coordination [7,8]. For the patients with these deviations to regain walking abilities, clinical treatments commonly rely on traditional rehabilitation approaches such as neuromuscular re-education, lower limb strength training, and balance training for weight shifting and gait pattern training. While the patients and healthcare providers strive to seek for more effective gait therapy methods, there are not many long-term remedies or set devices for facilitating these treatment options in clinical settings
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