Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Paradigm Affects Timed Up & Go (TUG) Test Outcomes in Stroke Survivors

Stroke impacts the neuromusculoskeletal systems of the human body, which can lead to alterations while performing tasks. One of the most common tests to identify such alterations in Stroke Survivors (SS) is the Timed Up & Go (TUG) Test. However, motion details or the effects of cognitive demand were not considered in TUG Test previously. This study implemented a motor-cognitive dual-task paradigm while categorizing TUG using motion data collected from 10 participants (5 SS, 5 Healthy Individuals (HI)). We used 8 wearable motion sensors placed on participants' feet, shanks, legs, sacrum, and sternum to capture segment kinematics. The motion signals of the sensors were employed for partitioning the TUG and extracting in-detail gait parameters in the walking portions. Findings from motion analysis indicated that SS took 29%
$\boldsymbol{(p < 0.001)}$
and 28%
$\boldsymbol{(p=0.019)}$
more time to complete TUG and dual-task (DT), respectively. Furthermore, the overall time of TUG was higher
$\boldsymbol{(\sim 20\%,\ p=0.036)}$
during DT vs. Single Task (ST) for SS. More importantly, the time of turning around the midpoint while performing the TUG Test was significantly higher
$\boldsymbol{(\sim 31\%,p=0.087)}$
in DT vs. ST for SS. This study showed the specific portion of TUG that was significantly different in SS and identifying such portions within tasks could help develop more effective screening techniques for patients with neurological disorders.