Is it correct to always consider weight-bearing asymmetrically distributed in individuals with hemiparesis?

Injuries may cause unilateral deterioration of brain areas related to postural control resulting in lateralized motor disability with abnormal asymmetry in weight-bearing distribution. Although overloading toward the nonaffected limb has been described as the preferred posture among individuals with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiotherapy theory and practice 2011-11, Vol.27 (8), p.566-571
Main Authors: Martins, Emerson Fachin, de Araujo Barbosa, Paulo Henrique Ferreira, de Menezes, Lidiane Teles, de Sousa, Pedro Henrique Côrtes, Costa, Abraão Souza
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Confidence intervals
Disability
Female
Gender
Humans
Limbs
Male
Middle Aged
Paresis - etiology
Paresis - physiopathology
Posture
Stroke - complications
Stroke - physiopathology
Symmetry
Weight-Bearing
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Summary:Injuries may cause unilateral deterioration of brain areas related to postural control resulting in lateralized motor disability with abnormal asymmetry in weight-bearing distribution. Although overloading toward the nonaffected limb has been described as the preferred posture among individuals with hemiparesis, characterization of the weight-bearing asymmetry is poorly and indirectly described. Therefore, this study aimed to describe weight-bearing distribution during upright stance, establishing criteria to consider asymmetry in hemiparesis when analyzed within the limits defined by controls matched by age and gender. Forty subjects with (n = 20) or without hemiparesis (n = 20) were included in procedures to record weight-bearing values between hemibodies, and these values were used to calculate a symmetry ratio. Control presented 95% confidence interval (CI) of the mean for symmetry ratio ranging from 0.888 to 1.072, defining limits to symmetry. Four subjects with hemiparesis (20%) had symmetry ratios inside limits defined by controls (i.e., weight-bearing symmetrically distributed), and 11 (55%) subjects without hemiparesis showed symmetry ratios outside the limits, suggesting asymmetrical weight-bearing distribution. It was concluded that asymmetry, when present in a control group, was more frequently overloading nonpredominantly used hemibody (nondominant side), differing from a hemiparesis group commonly forced to assume the nonaffected side as the predominantly used hemibody and where the overload was observed.
ISSN:0959-3985
1532-5040
DOI:10.3109/09593985.2011.552312