Conclusions
Balance recovery in postacute stroke inpatients is characterized by a reduction in postural sway and instability as well as by a reduction in visual dependency, particularly with regard to frontal plane balance. These restoration characteristics may be important factors underlying the relearning of independent standing and walking abilities. The clear lack of normalization for measures reflecting static and dynamic aspects of postural asymmetry suggests that the functional improvements in balance and gait must be more related to other mechanisms than to the restoration of support functions and equilibrium reactions of the paretic leg.