Accuracy of Clinical Observations of Push-Off During Gait After Stroke
Presented in part to the Australian Physiotherapy Association, November 2003, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
McGinley JL, Morris ME, Greenwood KM, Goldie PA, Olney SJ. Accuracy of clinical observations of push-off during gait after stroke.
Objective
To determine the accuracy (criterion-related validity) of real-time clinical observations of push-off in gait after stroke.
Design
Criterion-related validity study of gait observations.
Setting
Rehabilitation hospital in Australia.
Participants
Eleven participants with stroke and 8 treating physical therapists.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Pearson product-moment correlation between physical therapists’ observations of push-off during gait and criterion measures of peak ankle power generation from a 3-dimensional motion analysis system.
Results
A high correlation was obtained between the observational ratings and the measurements of peak ankle power generation (Pearson r=.98). The standard error of estimation of ankle power generation was .32W/kg.
Conclusions
Physical therapists can make accurate real-time clinical observations of push-off during gait following stroke.
aCentre for Clinical Research Excellence in Clinical Gait Analysis and Gait Rehabilitation, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
bSchool of Physiotherapy, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
cSchool of Health Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia
dRehabilitation and Aged Services Program, Kingston Centre, Southern Health, Cheltenham, Australia
eSchool of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
fSchool of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Reprint requests to Jennifer L. McGinley, PhD, Gait Centre for Clinical Research Excellence, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Hugh Williamson Gait Laboratory, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville 3052, Australia
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.
ABSTRACT