AbstractObjective: The study was done to find out the relationship between plantarflexor spasticity, ankle joint range of motion with sit to stand kinematics and total time duration to complete sit to stand movement in stroke patients. Methods: The study was of correlation design, with 35 stroke subjects (32 male, 3 female) carried out at different hospitals in New Delhi. Subjects were assessed for plantarflexor spasticity, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion range of motion of ankle joint and sit to stand movement. Sit to stand movement was videotaped and sit to stand kinematics and total time taken to complete the movement was analyzed through motion pro motion analysis software. Correlation between plantarflexor spasticity , ankle joint range of motion with sit to stand kinematics and total time duration to complete sit to stand movement determined using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The results showed a strong positive correlation between plantarflexor spasticity and total time duration of sit to stand movement (r=0.81) and plantarflexion range of motion and total time duration of sit to stand movement (r=0.85). There was a strong negative correlation between dorsiflexion range of motion and total time duration of sit to stand movement (r=-0.80) Plantarflexion range of motion also has a moderate negative correlation with sit to stand kinematics in phase III of knee (r=- 0.57) and phase III of hip (r=-0.33) respectively. Dorsiflexion range of motion also has a moderate positive correlation with sit to stand kinematics in phase III of knee (r=0.47) and phase III of hip (r=0.43) respectively. Conclusion: The ankle impairments like plantarflexor spasticity and reduced ankle joint range of motion can affect sit to stand movement, so such impairments should be addressed during various therapeutic interventions.
Key Words: Plantarflexor spasticity; Ankle joint range of motion; Sit to stand movement; Kinematics.