Gait Characteristics in Stroke Patients with Vestibular Symptoms Under Different Walking Speed Conditions

Objective To investigate the gait kinematic parameters of stroke patients with vestibular symptoms at different walking speeds. Methods Thirty-eight patients with brainstem stroke hospitalized in Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023 were included, along with 30 control subjects matched in gender, age, and education level. The walking stability was evaluated by 7⁃Meter walking test, and the differences in gait parameters were analyzed under conditions of fast, self-selected, and slow walking speeds. Results Under the fast-walking conditions, there were no statistically significant differences in the spatial gait parameters of step speed and stride length between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the percentage of double support time, a temporal parameter (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the percentage of terminal double support, stride frequency, and stride duration (P > 0.05). Under the self-selected and slow walking conditions, except for stride frequency and step duration, all other gait parameters showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (all P < 0.05). Specifically, in the group with vestibular symptoms, their spatial gait parameters of stride length and step speed were lower than those in the control group (both P = 0.000), while the percentage of terminal double support and double support time were higher than the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusion Walking speed significantly influences the gait parameters of stroke patients with vestibular symptoms, particularly under slow and self-selected walking speeds. This provides important clinical value for the implementation of precision rehabilitation treatment.