Investigating the relationship between spatiotemporal gait variability and falls self-efficacy in individuals with chronic stroke

ABSTRACT

Aim

To investigate the relationship between spatiotemporal gait variability and falls self-efficacy after chronic stroke while taking into account the effect of some known potential confounders including fall numbers and gait velocity.

Methods

Participants (n = 62) walked at their preferred speed to calculate gait variability for stride time, stride length, swing time, and double-support percent. The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) assessed falls self-efficacy. The linear regression tests were used for statistical analysis. Age, sex, time since stroke, paretic side, motor impairments, fall numbers, and gait velocity were considered as independent variables.

Results

Increased FES-I score was related to higher stride time variability (R² = 0.65, F(8,53) = 15.44, P < .05). Increased FES-I was associated with higher stride length variability (R² = 0.42, F(6,55) = 8.44, P < .05). However, further adjustment on gait velocity and fall numbers made the association non-significant (R² = 0.41, F(8,53) = 6.4, P > .05). No significant relationship was identified between FES-I and swing time (R² = 0.08, F(8,53) = 0.39, P > .05) and FES-I and double-support percent variability (R² = 0.04, F(8,53) = 0.67, P > .05).

Conclusion

The results indicate that increased FES-I score may be related to increased stride variability post stroke.

KEYWORDS:

• Fear
• accidental falls
• gait
• stroke

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the clinicians who helped with recruiting subjects for the study and also all participants for their cooperation.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.