Affiliations: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Kyeongbuk, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Chung Sun Kim, PhD, PT, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, 15, Jilyang, Gyeongsan-si, Kyeongbuk, 712-714, Korea. Tel.: +82 53 850 4668; Fax: +82 53 850 4359; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Objective:Although the cane is prescribed to aid in daily living and social participation in stroke patients, this study aimed to identify whether long-term cane usage affected sensorimotor functions in the distal part of the non-affected upper limb in relation to a tracking task, a nine-hole pegboard test, and proprioceptive joint sense. Patient and method:Forty stroke patients who were divided into a cane using group (CUG) or a non-cane using group (NCUG) participated in this study. Subjects were evaluated in a tracking task for visuomotor coordination, a nine-hole pegboard test for dexterous hand motion, and a joint reposition test for proprioceptive sense integrity. Result:Comparison of the CUG and NCUG revealed significant differences in performance of the tracking task, the nine-hole pegboard test, and the joint reposition test (p < 0.05). The CUG had more difficulty performing visuomotor coordination and dexterous hand motion tasks compared with the NCUG. Proprioceptive joint sense was also deteriorated in the CUG. Conclusion:These results suggest that stroke patients who use a cane for a long period, could experience decreased sensorimotor function in the ipsilateral upper limb of a damaged hemisphere. Therefore, it will be necessary to provide careful evaluation and appropriate therapeutic intervention for stroke patients who require the use of a cane over a long period.
Keywords: Ipsilateral upper limb, cane usage, dexterity, proprioceptive sense
