Perceived body position in standing individuals with recent stroke

ObjectivesThe ability to maintain balance can be affected by misperception of the body position in space that is common in individuals with a stroke. The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether individuals with recent stroke could participate in assessment of their perceived body position in standing.MethodsEight individuals who sustained a stroke and who exhibited visiospatial problems and eight healthy control subjects participated in the study. They were positioned on a platform that was tilted in toes up/down or left/right directions and identified the position of their body when they felt that the body was vertical when the platform on which they were standing was returning back to a horizontal position after being tilted.ResultsMean errors in perceived antero-posterior platform position were 1.75 ± 0.25 deg in patients and 0.66 ± 0.28 deg in control subjects (p < 0.05). In the lateral plane mean errors in perceived platform position were 1.64 ± 0.32 deg in patients and 0.54 ± 0.07 deg in control subjects (p < 0.05). Patients identified perceived body position approximately three times worse than control subjects in both anterior–posterior and lateral planes.ConclusionsThis technique may be used for assessment of perceived body position in standing.SignificanceObjective measurement of perceived body position in standing could help to better understand the stroke-related disability.