A New Approach to Retrain Gait in Stroke Patients Through Body Weight Support and Treadmill Stimulation

• DOI: 10.1161/01.str.29.6.1122
• Publication Date: 2011-06-17T20:08:03Z
• Authors: Martha Visintin; Hugues Barbeau; Nicol Korner-Bite...; Nancy E. Mayo
• Keywords: Gait training; Treadmill; Stroke; Weight-bearing

A new gait training strategy for patients with stroke proposes to support a percentage of the patient's body weight while retraining on treadmill. This research project intended compare effects (BWS) and no (no-BWS) clinical outcome measures stroke.One hundred subjects were randomized receive one two treatments walking treadmill: 50 trained walk up 40% their supported by BWS system overhead harness (BWS group), other bearing full lower extremities (no-BWS group). Treatment outcomes assessed basis functional balance, motor recovery, overground speed, endurance.After 6-week period, group scored significantly higher than no-BWS balance (P = 0.001), recovery speed 0.029), w alking endurance 0.018). The follow-up evaluation, 3 months after training, revealed that continues have scores 0.006) 0.039).Retraining in was resulted better abilities weight. novel provides dynamic integrative approach treatment dysfunction stroke.