Weight Bearing Study Using Digital Scales in Hemiplegic Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the differences between weight bearing through the plegic and nonplegic lower extremities in hemiplegic patients in various standing conditions. METHOD: We used digital scales to measure weight bearing among 13 hemiplegic patients when they performed comfortable standing, maximal weight shifting to each lower extremity, step standing with each foot on a step, and maximal weight shifting to each lower extremity again. RESULTS: 1) Patients bore significantly more weight on their nonplegic lower extremity than on their plegic one during comfortable standing (p0.05) and the weight bearing of nonplegic lower extremity was insignificantly increased (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Step standing was a very useful training method of facilitating the weight bearing in hemiplegic lower extremity.