OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the asymmetrical weight bearing is related to postural sway and vision in patients with stroke.

DESIGN: a cross sectional study

Method: 62 Subjects were taken from S.D.M College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad. Demographic information, Body Mass Index (BMI), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were calculated. Further, participants were asked to stand bare feet on Nintendo Wii Balance Board (NWBB) with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC)   to calculate the weight bearing asymmetry.  The data was recorded and sent for analysis.

Results: Results showed that men are more prone to stroke than women. The commonest age group affected age of 50 ± 8 years. Weight bearing asymmetry was seen in all stroke patients and in eyes closed condition (EC) weight bearing asymmetry increased, which was statistically significant for left sided hemiplegic subjects (right hemisphere lesion)p=0.02 compared to right sided hemiplegia ( left hemisphere lesion) p=0.13.

Conclusion: There was WBA (with increased weight on unaffected side) and hence increased postural sway in all stroke patients (EO condition). This asymmetry in weight bearing and postural sway increased when vision was occluded (EC condition) and was statistically significant in left sided hemiplegic subjects (right hemisphere lesion). The above findings conclude to say that patients with hemiparesis had unequal weight bearing and are dependent on vision for controlling postural sway.