02289nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001100001300042700001200055700001500067700001600082700001300098700001600111700001400127700001400141700001400155700001400169245010500183250001500288300001200303490000700315520167900322020004602001       2012                            d1 aDiong J.1 aKwah L.1 aBilston L.1 aGandevia S.1 aHoang P.1 aHerbert Rob1 aMartin J.1 aClarke J.1 aHarvey L.1 aClarke E.00aPassive mechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscles of people with ankle contracture after stroke  a2012/04/17  a1185-900 v933 a<p>
Kwah LK, Herbert RD, Harvey LA, Diong J, Clarke JL, Martin JH, Clarke EC, Hoang PD, Bilston LE, Gandevia SC. Passive mechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscles of people with ankle contracture after stroke. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms of contracture after stroke by comparing passive mechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscle-tendon units, muscle fascicles, and tendons in people with ankle contracture after stroke with control participants. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Laboratory in a research institution. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of people with ankle contracture after stroke (n=20) and able-bodied control subjects (n=30). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Stiffness and lengths of gastrocnemius muscle-tendon units, lengths of muscle fascicles, and tendons at specific tensions. RESULTS: At a tension of 100N, the gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit was significantly shorter in participants with stroke (mean, 436mm) than in able-bodied control participants (mean, 444mm; difference, 8mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2-15mm; P=.04). Muscle fascicles were also shorter in the stroke group (mean, 44mm) than in the control group (mean, 50mm; difference, 6mm; 95% CI, 1-12mm; P=.03). There were no significant differences between groups in the mean stiffness or length of the muscle-tendon units and fascicles at low tension, or in the mean length of the tendons at any tension. CONCLUSIONS: People with ankle contracture after stroke have shorter gastrocnemius muscle-tendon units and muscle fascicles than control participants at high tension. This difference is not apparent at low tension.
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