Effect of Added Mass to Wrist on Gait Parameters in Stroke Patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare the gait parameters of stroke patients with added mass to the wrist during walking. [Subjects] For this study, we recruited 16 stroke survivors as voluntary participants. [Methods] We measured the gait parameters under 3 conditions (without added mass, with a 1.0 kg load, and with a 1.8 kg load). [Results] The gait parameters of velocity, cadence, and stride length on the affected side were significantly increased under the 1.0 kg condition, and the no load and 1.8 kg conditions resulted in no significant change. [Conclusion] The findings of this study suggest that applying the optimal load to the less affected upper limb may benefit people with hemiplegic gait and could improve the efficiency of gait performance