J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2000 Dec;24(6):1055-1060.

Weight Bearing Study Using Digital Scales in Hemiplegic Patients

• Kim JS
• Kang SY
• Kim JK

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 (p<0.05). 2) They bore significantly more weight on their nonplegic lower extremity than on their plegic lower extremity when maximal weight shifting was done (p<0.01). 3) They bore very significantly more weight on the lower extremity that was not on the step during step standing regardless of whether it was plegic or nonplegic (p<0.001). 4) When maximal weight shifting was done again, the weight bearing of plegic lower extremity was insignificantly decreased compared to that before step standing (p>0.05) 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.

Keyword

Weight bearing; Lower extremities; Hemiplegia; Digital scales

MeSH Terms

Foot
Hemiplegia
Humans
Lower Extremity
Weight-Bearing*
Weights and Measures*