72 years old male with left hemiplegia due to CVA
1. In order to practice weight bearing on his plegic leg, the patient was asked to lift his strong leg to the next stair, while holding the handrails. He struggles to maintain an upright posture - bends forward and flexes his knee. The PT asks him to bring his hands closer to his body, to keep his knee straight, and to push his pelvis forward.
2. The patient is asked not to use the handrails. This prevents him from taking some of the weight off his plegic leg, and increases the difficulty to maintain balance.
3. The patient hesitates and takes his time to plan his movement. He takes his foot down rapidly, which indicates less control and movement planning.
4. The patient also struggles to keep his posture upright, and looks down at his feet. This may indicate lack of proprioception. When the PT asks him to look forward, he manages to do so only for a moment.
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