The relationship of plantar cutaneous sensation and standing balance post-stroke

Abstract

The present results suggest that plantar cutaneous sensation deficits contribute to balance impairment post-stroke. The monofilament cutoff score may help clinicians determine whether impaired plantar cutaneous sensation is a contributing factor to a patient's balance deficits.

Transitions sit to stand and stand to sit in persons post-stroke: Path of centre of mass, pelvic and limb loading – A pilot study

“…Some possible explanations could include that the person is seeking sensory information through their more affected limb due to the loss of cutaneous and proprioceptive feedback. This would be consistent with some recent findings suggesting that postural sway is exploratory rather than an error correcting strategy (Carpenter et al, 2010;McKeon and Hertel, 2007) and, that cutaneous information through the feet is integral to balance and postural control in persons post-stroke (Parsons et al, 2016). An alternative possible explanation could be the loss of reciprocal innervation between both sides of the body as a result of the cortical lesion.…”

“…CoP measures are traditionally interpreted as an indication of the amount and variability in limb loading and, therefore, an assumption is that the more affected limb of the person post-stroke will register a lower CoP, as well as increased variability, due to reduced motor control (Parsons et al, 2016;Roy et al, 2006). However, the results of this study suggest a more complex presentation.…”

“…Centre of pressure (CoP) measures, derived from force-plates, provide information on the centre of the distribution of the total force applied by the body segment on the supporting surface (Shumway-Cook and Woollacott, 2012). Unfortunately, CoP measures do not provide information on the role of the whole foot in contact with the floor, therefore only providing a limited view, as the alignment of the foot and the interaction of the whole foot with the floor has the potential to influence weight-bearing, postural control and balance (Bourane et al, 2015;Fraser et al, 2016;Kelly et al, 2012;McKeon and Hertel, 2007;Parsons et al, 2016;Thompson et al, 2011).…”

A study on the immediate effects of plantar vibration on balance dysfunction in patients with stroke

“…Muscle weakness and sensory dysfunction are factors influencing poor balance in patients poststroke ( Tyson et al, 2006 ). The impairment of plantar cutaneous sensation has been recently reported to contribute to balance dysfunction in individuals after stroke ( Parsons et al, 2016 ). Sensory deficits, therefore, may contribute to poor balance, and can have negative effects on the functional outcomes of patients with stroke.…”

Comfortably numb? Experiences of people with stroke and lower limb sensation deficits: impact and solutions

“…sway in quiet standing but do not translate to activity or participation. One reason for the lack of translation of effect from impairment to activity and participation, may be that treatments have not been designed and Descriptions of personal experiences in some ways coincide with physiological and biomechanical/behavioral studies (5,15) showing that deficits of sensation are experienced by patients as being linked with balance and mobility. However, our work goes beyond this and aligns with recent work (10) to reveal the extent of the impact on lives, with altered sensation being dealt with constantly throughout each day, as a 'new normal'.…”