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Abstract Background and Purpose: The incidence of stroke has decreased over the last 50 years but the seriousness of the disease has not. Stroke is the major cause of disability in the adult population. The exact degree of walking impairment and possible treatment of gait deviations is seldom sought. The purpose was to identify clinical and observational gait variables with effect on walking capacity and quality of life after stroke. Methods: Nottingham Health Profile self-reporting quality of life questionnaire, Barthel´s index of activities of daily living, Timed up and Go and Scandinavian Stroke Scale were used. Five meter walking velocity, positioning of the foot and knee during stance and swing phase and a clinical examination were assessed. Results: 141 patients with first time cerebral infarction or hemorrhage stroke without other diseases influencing gait were included. Sixty were females and 81 men, median age 74 years (range 29-103 years) were studied median 5,4 months (range 3,0-8,2 months) after admission. The stroke patients scored worse in quality of life compared to age and gender matched controls. Although the majority did well on the functional tests, 68 had deviations on the observational gait analysis and the clinical examination with one or several pathological findings. There was an association between walking speed and quality of life and gait variables. Conclusion: After stroke walking impairment is common and can be caused by clinically subtle neurological deficits. The gait impairment could influence quality of life and could if identified be treated.
Riad et al. (Mon,) studied this question.