Quantitative and clinical measures of static standing balance in hemiparetic and normal subjects

Static standing balance was compared in 10 subjects with hemiparesis resulting from a cerebrovascular accident (33-71 years of age), 10 young normal subjects (22-40 years of age), and 10 older normal subjects (48-78 years of age) using a quantitative maximal load test and clinical evaluation. The maximal load test required subjects to maintain a standing position against static loads applied at the waist (sagittal and frontal planes). Maximal loads were recorded as a percentage of body weight at the point when subjects could no longer hold the initial standing position. Effects of mechanical and cognitive factors were minimized in the maximal load test. Hemiparetic subjects had significantly lower maximal loads and clinical balance scores than both normal subject groups. Maximal loads of the young and older normal subjects were comparable, but the older subjects had lower clinical scores than the young subjects. Low correlations between subjects' scores on the two tests imply that each test yielded different information about static balance. Implications of the study results for the evaluation and treatment of balance deficits in hemiparetic persons are discussed.