Kinetics and Kinematics of Loading Response in Stroke Patients (A Review Article)

Abstract

With the advancement in the field of assessment and treatment individualization, gait analysis is considered a routine matter in the health care settings during rehabilitation of walking. Gait analysis refers to the specialized assessment of walking which includes past medical history, objective examination of various characteristics of gait and the impact of disease on the pattern of walking. Kinematics and kinematics are the most useful parameters used to assess the disabilities associated with gait cycle. Infrared video cameras are normally used during gait analysis to define the three dimensional positions and movements of various lower limb joints. By analysing the kinetics and kinematics of the loading response; an important phase of the gait cycle, various deficits can be assessed in stroke patients including decreased musculoskeletal coordination, weakness and spasticity of the lower limb muscles. The detailed assessment of the kinetics and kinematics during loading response can enable the physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists to design better treatment programs for the Neuro compromised stroke patients. This review article will address the kinetics and kinematics during loading response in stroke patients, but the technique can be used in a number of conditions.

Key Words: Loading response, kinetics and kinematics, gait analysis