THE PHYSIOLOGICAL COST INDEX (PCI) AND WALKING PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT WALKING AIDS IN STROKE SURVIVORS

Abstract Objective: Walking aids are widely prescribed for supporting ambulation in stroke patients. Many factors must be considered to decide which walking aid will be prescribed, including the energy cost and the walking performance produced by using the walking aids. This research aimed to investigate the differences between the Physiological Cost Index (PCI), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test, and walking speed in stroke patients according to the type of walking aid used. Methods: A total of 26 patients with subacute stroke were sampled in a consecutive sampling at Malang Saiful Anwar General Hospital's PM&R outpatient clinic. Each patient completed walking with four different walking aids: a fixed walker, a rollator, a quad cane, and a single-point cane, resting between tests until the patient's heart rate returned to its resting level. We measure the PCI using heart rate and walking speed during a 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and mobility performance during the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test. Results: The PCI was lower with the single-point cane (p<0.001), and the walking speed and mobility performance were higher with the single-point cane (p<0.001) than with any other walking aid. Conclusion: Our research revealed that a single-point cane requires less energy and permits more excellent performance for stroke patients who can already walk with a walking aid.