Hemiplegic gait: analysis of temporal variables.

The objective of this study was to determine key quantitative variables in hemiplegic gait, and to correlate them with clinical abnormality, eg, degree of motor recovery. In 23 hemiplegic patients, clinical and locomotion laboratory assessments gave the following results. Two temporal gait variables, walking speed and symmetry of the swing/phase, showed a good correlation with the stage of motor recovery. Patients with greater degrees of motor recovery walked faster and more symmetrically than those with less motor recovery. None of the other temporal variables analyzed showed a significant relationship with the stage of motor recovery.