Objective: To gain insight into the relation between changes in gait patterns over time and functional recovery of walking ability in stroke patients.
Design: Cohort study.
Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation center of a university hospital in the Netherlands.
Participants: Thirteen stroke patients admitted, or awaiting admission, for inpatient rehabilitation 3 weeks poststroke, and 16 healthy control subjects.
Interventions: Not applicable.
Main outcome measures: At 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks poststroke, functional recovery of walking ability was assessed with the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) and the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC). When possible, kinematics of the knee, hip, and pelvis were assessed through gait analysis in an 8 x 4 m gait laboratory. Minimal scores of 8 on the RMI and 4 on the FAC were necessary before patients were classified as functionally recovered.
Results: Patients whose joint kinematics during ambulation had recovered to within the range of the control group showed functional recovery of walking ability. However, some patients whose kinematics had developed toward an abnormal pattern also showed functional recovery.
Conclusions: Recovery of joint kinematics toward a normal pattern is not required for functional recovery of walking ability. Early recognition of compensatory walking patterns that facilitate functional recovery may have implications for rehabilitation programs.