Comparing the Effect of Speedy and Endurance Walking on Postural Control and the Time for Returning to Baseline after Walking in Patients with Chronic Stroke and Healthy Subjects

Physical activity causes postural instability in patients with stroke and healthy subjects, but the impact of the type of physical activity and its durability on postural control in patients with stroke is not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of two types of speedy and endurance walking on postural control and the time for returning of postural control to baseline after walking in patients with chronic stroke and healthy subjects.
Material and In this non-experimental case-control study, 12 chronic stroke patients (4 female, 8 male; 4 with right hemiparesis and 8 with left hemiparesis) by mean age of 54.16 ± 12.18) years and mean passed duration of injury 28.66 ± 25.11) months and 12 height-, weight-, age- and sex-matched healthy subjects by mean age of 54.33 ± 13.04)years were selected by simple non-probability method. Walking for 6 minutes at maximum speed and walking for 18 minutes at normal speed were considered as speedy and endurance walking, respectively. Mean velocity and path length parameters of postural sway were measured by force platform in tandem standing before walking and immediately, 15 and 30 minutes after walking.
The results of this study showed that the main effect of group was not significant in mean velocity (P = 0.487, F = 0.499) and path length parameters (P = 0.375, F = 0.818) while the both mean velocity (P = 0.016, F = 6.83) and path length (P = 0.034, F = 5.13) were greater in speedy walking than endurance walking. Furthermore, the main effect of time was significant in mean velocity (P = 0.017, F = 4.26) and path length (P = 0.002, F = 5.31). None of the interaction effects was significant in any of postural sway parameters.
The results of this study indicated that speedy walking results in postural instability more than endurance walking in both patients with chronic stroke and healthy subjects. Time for returning of postural stability to the baseline was 30 minutes after both speedy and endurance walking in both patients with chronic stroke and healthy subjects.