Comparison of 360° Turn Cycles among Individuals after Stroke and Healthy Older Adults

Abstract

Stroke survivors are at high risk of falling during turning. The kinematics of performing a 360° turn have not been fully analyzed among individuals after stroke. Quantitative differences in the parameters of turning between healthy older adults and those after stroke could provide detailed information on turning ability among these groups. The purpose of the current study was to characterize differences between healthy older adults and adults after stroke in 360° turn kinematics. Fourteen individuals with chronic stroke (mean age: 69 ± 8.4 years) and 14 healthy older adults (mean age: 74 ± 8.7 years) performed three trials of 360° turning. Kinematics data were collected using 26 reflective markers at several body landmarks. This new method for quantifying turning revealed that stroke significantly affected the number of turn cycles, number of single support (SS) critical phases, and critical time. In some cases, falls among individuals with stroke may be related to the combination of impaired movement patterns and the complexity of tasks such as turning. Understanding turning kinematics can inform clinical interventions targeting improvements in turning ability and consequently, fall risk reduction in individuals after stroke.