{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,24]],"date-time":"2026-10-24T01:26:50Z","timestamp":1792805210856,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,9]],"date-time":"2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736380800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"2023 Yeungnam University Research Grant","award":["223A000004"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["223A000004"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05yc6p159","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Gait disturbances characterized by asymmetries in lower limb strength and gait patterns are frequently observed in stroke patients, which increases gait variability and fall risk. However, the extent to which lower limb strength asymmetry influences gait asymmetry and variability in this population remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 84 participants, comprising stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults. A portable dynamometer was used to assess lower limb strength, and inertial measurement units to analyze gait parameters. Asymmetry indices were used to quantify strength and gait asymmetries. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations and stepwise regression to examine the relationships among lower limb strength asymmetry, gait asymmetry, and gait variability. Results: Stroke survivors exhibited significantly greater lower limb strength and gait asymmetries than healthy older adults (p &lt; 0.001). Knee extension (KE) strength asymmetry was a significant predictor of increased gait variability in stroke survivors (R2 = 0.448, p &lt; 0.001) but not in healthy controls. Moreover, longer poststroke duration was associated with greater asymmetry in KE strength (r = 0.42, p &lt; 0.05) and double support time (r = 0.45, p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Lower limb strength asymmetry, specifically in knee extensors, is a critical determinant of gait asymmetry and variability in stroke survivors. The association between poststroke duration and increased asymmetry indicates the progressive nature of these impairments. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted interventions to reduce strength asymmetry and address chronic impairments in poststroke rehabilitation to improve gait stability and reduce fall risk.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14020380","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,9]],"date-time":"2025-01-09T07:59:42Z","timestamp":1736409582000},"page":"380","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Association Between Lower Limb Strength Asymmetry and Gait Asymmetry: Implications for Gait Variability in Stroke Survivors"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3862-1879","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yungon","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Military Kinesiology, Korea Military Academy, Seoul 01805, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Neuromuscular Control Laboratory, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4067-1285","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gi Beom","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 170 Hyonchung-ro, Daegu 42415, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yeungnam University Medical Center, 170 Hyonchung-ro, Daegu 42415, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Research Institute of Human Ecology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5355-2157","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sunghoon","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuromuscular Control Laboratory, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Research Institute of Human Ecology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"School of Kinesiology, College of Human Ecology & Kinesiology, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, 221ho, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"717","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2006.12.013","article-title":"Physiological evaluation of gait disturbances post stroke","volume":"118","author":"Lamontagne","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clin. 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