Comparison of Physiological Cost Index in Clinical and Community Set-Up among Patients with Stroke

The various gait training program of stroke patients are only done in the stable hospital setting and not in the various environmental factors which are required in the community. Considering the ultimate goal of rehabilitation to be independent functional ability during gait, it is important to understand the difference in performance in clinical and community set up. Hence this study is taken up to investigate if there is any difference in the performance of gait in clinical and community set up, in terms of energy expenditure measured with the help of Physiological Cost Index in patients with stroke. In total 30 samples were selected for the study by the convenience sampling method. Two set up were selected for the study one inside the clinic and the other outside in the community at ground level. PCI was calculated in both clinical and community set up for a distance of 10m. The study showed that the mean PCI value in clinical set up was 0.355 ± 0.347 and community set up was 1.186 ± 1.106. The mean gait speed in clinical set up was 33.93 ± 15.37 and in the community was 27.93 ± 14.57. There was a positive correlation between the PCI and gait speed in clinical setup P-value less than0.001 and R=-0.674 and in the community set up with P-value less than0.001 and R=-7.67. This study concluded that the physiological cost index is greater in the community set up than in clinical. The walking speed is greater in the clinical set up as compared to the community. Hence more muscular effort is required for the patient to ambulate outside the clinic.