RESUMO
To study the Berg Balance Scale [BBS] as balance functional impairment of hemiparetic stroke patients after onset of stroke; to quantitatively assess control of balance by computerized dynamic posturography [CDP]; to correlate composite equilibrium score [ES] with sex, side of lesion and stroke type; and to correlate ES with static and dynamic posturography in hemiparetic stroke patients. A retrospective case control study. Outpatient clinic in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Kuwait. A total of 21 hemiplegic ambulatory stroke patients and 19 age-matched healthy individuals as control group. BBS and CDP. ES and sensory organization test [SOT] 1-6. BBS scores of stroke patients were below the lower limit of the normal control group [p < 0.001]. Significant reduction was observed for composite ES of stroke patients compared to control group. Although no significant difference of static balance function was observed between patients and controls, significant reduction of dynamic balance function [SOT 4, SOT 5, SOT 6] was observed in stroke patients, compared to control group [p < 0.05]. In linear regression correlation [r-] of stroke patients, no significant correlation was observed of ES with static balance function [SOT 1, SOT 2, SOT 3] in hemiparetic stroke patients [p > 0.05]. However, there was a direct significant correlation of ES with dynamic balance function including SOT 4, SOT 5 and SOT 6 [r = -0.71; p < 01], [r = 0.761, p < 0.01] and [r = -0.761, p < 0.05] respectively in hemiparetic stroke patients. Impaired dynamic equilibrium in stroke patients is likely to reflect reduction of muscle strength of the paretic side along with the possible impairment of sensory organization