No. 106 Effect of Anterioposterior Weight Shifting Training With Visual Feedback on Step Length Asymmetry in Post-Stroke Hemiplegic Patients

PM&R ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. S116-S117
Author(s):  
Deog Young Kim ◽  
Dae Hyun Kim ◽  
Seeun Kim ◽  
Yoon Su Baek
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Sánchez ◽  
James M. Finley

AbstractChanges in the control of the lower extremities post-stroke lead to persistent biomechanical asymmetries during walking. These asymmetries are associated with an increase in energetic cost, leading to the possibility that reduction of asymmetry can improve economy. However, the influence of asymmetry on economy may depend on the direction and cause of asymmetry. For example, impairments with paretic limb advancement may result in shorter paretic steps while deficits in paretic support or propulsion result in shorter non-paretic steps. Given differences in the underlying impairments responsible for each type of step length asymmetry, the capacity to reduce asymmetry, and the associated changes in energetic cost may not be consistent across this population. Here, we identified factors explaining individual differences in the capacity to voluntarily reduce step length asymmetry and modify energetic cost during walking. Twenty-four individuals post-stroke walked on a treadmill with visual feedback of their step lengths to aid explicit modification of asymmetry. We found that individuals who naturally took longer paretic steps had a greater capacity to reduce asymmetry, and were better able to transfer the effects of training to over-ground walking. In addition, baseline energetic cost was negatively correlated with reductions in cost, such that participants with a more economical gait were more likely to reduce energetic cost by improving symmetry. These results demonstrate that many stroke survivors retain the capacity to voluntarily walk more symmetrically on a treadmill and over-ground. However, whether reductions in asymmetry reduce metabolic cost depends on individual differences in impairments affecting locomotor function.


2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-458
Author(s):  
Seeun Kim ◽  
Deog Young Kim ◽  
Jung Hoon Kim ◽  
Jong Hyun Choi ◽  
So Young Joo ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Heidi Nedergård ◽  
Ashokan Arumugam ◽  
Marlene Sandlund ◽  
Anna Bråndal ◽  
Charlotte K. Häger

Abstract Background Robotic-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) may enable high-intensive and task-specific gait training post-stroke. The effect of RAGT on gait movement patterns has however not been comprehensively reviewed. The purpose of this review was to summarize the evidence for potentially superior effects of RAGT on biomechanical measures of gait post-stroke when compared with non-robotic gait training alone. Methods Nine databases were searched using database-specific search terms from their inception until January 2021. We included randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of RAGT (e.g., using exoskeletons or end-effectors) on spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic parameters among adults suffering from any stage of stroke. Screening, data extraction and judgement of risk of bias (using the Cochrane Risk of bias 2 tool) were performed by 2–3 independent reviewers. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were used to evaluate the certainty of evidence for the biomechanical gait measures of interest. Results Thirteen studies including a total of 412 individuals (mean age: 52–69 years; 264 males) met eligibility criteria and were included. RAGT was employed either as monotherapy or in combination with other therapies in a subacute or chronic phase post-stroke. The included studies showed a high risk of bias (n = 6), some concerns (n = 6) or a low risk of bias (n = 1). Meta-analyses using a random-effects model for gait speed, cadence, step length (non-affected side) and spatial asymmetry revealed no significant differences between the RAGT and comparator groups, while stride length (mean difference [MD] 2.86 cm), step length (affected side; MD 2.67 cm) and temporal asymmetry calculated in ratio-values (MD 0.09) improved slightly more in the RAGT groups. There were serious weaknesses with almost all GRADE domains (risk of bias, consistency, directness, or precision of the findings) for the included outcome measures (spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters). Kinetic parameters were not reported at all. Conclusion There were few relevant studies and the review synthesis revealed a very low certainty in current evidence for employing RAGT to improve gait biomechanics post-stroke. Further high-quality, robust clinical trials on RAGT that complement clinical data with biomechanical data are thus warranted to disentangle the potential effects of such interventions on gait biomechanics post-stroke.


Author(s):  
Jan Stenum ◽  
Julia T. Choi

The metabolic cost of walking in healthy individuals increases with spatiotemporal gait asymmetries. Pathological gait, such as post-stroke, often has asymmetry in step lengths and step times which may contribute to an increased energy cost. But paradoxically, enforcing step length symmetry does not reduce metabolic cost of post-stroke walking. The isolated and interacting costs of asymmetry in step times and step lengths remain unclear, because previous studies did not simultaneously enforce spatial and temporal gait asymmetries. Here, we delineate isolated costs of asymmetry in step times and step lengths in healthy human walking. We first show that the cost of step length asymmetry is predicted by the cost of taking two non-preferred step lengths (one short and one long), but that step time asymmetry adds an extra cost beyond the cost of non-preferred step times. The metabolic power of step time asymmetry is about 2.5 times greater than the cost of step length asymmetry. Furthermore, the costs are not additive when walking with asymmetric step times and step lengths: metabolic power of concurrent asymmetry in step lengths and step times is driven by the cost of step time asymmetry alone. The metabolic power of asymmetry is explained by positive mechanical power produced during single support phases to compensate for a net loss of center of mass power incurred during double support phases. These data may explain why metabolic cost remains invariant to step length asymmetry in post-stroke walking and suggests how effects of asymmetry on energy cost can be attenuated.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 810-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra M. Cherry-Allen ◽  
Matthew A. Statton ◽  
Pablo A. Celnik ◽  
Amy J. Bastian

Background. Gait impairments after stroke arise from dysfunction of one or several features of the walking pattern. Traditional rehabilitation practice focuses on improving one component at a time, which may leave certain features unaddressed or prolong rehabilitation time. Recent work shows that neurologically intact adults can learn multiple movement components simultaneously. Objective. To determine whether a dual-learning paradigm, incorporating 2 distinct motor tasks, can simultaneously improve 2 impaired components of the gait pattern in people posttroke. Methods. Twelve individuals with stroke participated. Participants completed 2 sessions during which they received visual feedback reflecting paretic knee flexion during walking. During the learning phase of the experiment, an unseen offset was applied to this feedback, promoting increased paretic knee flexion. During the first session, this task was performed while walking on a split-belt treadmill intended to improve step length asymmetry. During the second session, it was performed during tied-belt walking. Results. The dual-learning task simultaneously increased paretic knee flexion and decreased step length asymmetry in the majority of people post-stroke. Split-belt treadmill walking did not significantly interfere with joint-angle learning: participants had similar rates and magnitudes of joint-angle learning during both single and dual-learning conditions. Participants also had significant changes in the amount of paretic hip flexion in both single and dual-learning conditions. Conclusions. People with stroke can perform a dual-learning paradigm and change 2 clinically relevant gait impairments in a single session. Long-term studies are needed to determine if this strategy can be used to efficiently and permanently alter multiple gait impairments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 978
Author(s):  
Hanatsu Nagano ◽  
Catherine M. Said ◽  
Lisa James ◽  
Rezaul K. Begg

Hemiplegic stroke often impairs gait and increases falls risk during rehabilitation. Tripping is the leading cause of falls, but the risk can be reduced by increasing vertical swing foot clearance, particularly at the mid-swing phase event, minimum foot clearance (MFC). Based on previous reports, real-time biofeedback training may increase MFC. Six post-stroke individuals undertook eight biofeedback training sessions over a month, in which an infrared marker attached to the front part of the shoe was tracked in real-time, showing vertical swing foot motion on a monitor installed in front of the subject during treadmill walking. A target increased MFC range was determined, and participants were instructed to control their MFC within the safe range. Gait assessment was conducted three times: Baseline, Post-training and one month from the final biofeedback training session. In addition to MFC, step length, step width, double support time and foot contact angle were measured. After biofeedback training, increased MFC with a trend of reduced step-to-step variability was observed. Correlation analysis revealed that MFC height of the unaffected limb had interlinks with step length and ankle angle. In contrast, for the affected limb, step width variability and MFC height were positively correlated. The current pilot-study suggested that biofeedback gait training may reduce tripping falls for post-stroke individuals.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Purnima Padmanabhan ◽  
Keerthana Sreekanth ◽  
Shivam Gulhar ◽  
Kendra M. Cherry-Allen ◽  
Kristan A. Leech ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Restoration of step length symmetry is a common rehabilitation goal after stroke. Persons post-stroke often retain the ability to walk with symmetric step lengths ("symmetric steps") at an elevated metabolic cost relative to healthy adults. Two key questions with direct implications for rehabilitation have emerged: 1) how do persons post-stroke generate symmetric steps, and 2) why do symmetric steps remain so effortful? Here, we aimed to understand how persons post-stroke generate symmetric steps and explored how the resulting gait pattern may relate to the metabolic cost of transport. Methods We recorded kinematic, kinetic, and metabolic data as nine persons post-stroke walked on an instrumented treadmill under two conditions: preferred walking and symmetric stepping (using visual feedback). Results Gait kinematics and kinetics remained markedly asymmetric even when persons post-stroke improved step length symmetry. Impaired paretic propulsion and abnormal movement of the center of mass were evident during both preferred walking and symmetric stepping. These deficits contributed to diminished positive work performed by the paretic limb on the center of mass in both conditions. Within each condition, decreased positive paretic work correlated with increased metabolic cost of transport and decreased walking speed across participants. Conclusions It is critical to consider the mechanics used to restore symmetric steps when designing interventions to improve walking after stroke. Future research should consider the many dimensions of asymmetry in post-stroke gait, and additional within-participant manipulations of gait parameters are needed to improve our understanding of the elevated metabolic cost of walking after stroke.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Emanuela Elena Mihai ◽  
Ilie Valentin Mihai ◽  
Mihai Berteanu

Stroke remains one of the leading causes of disability in adults, and lower limb spasticity, affected stance, and balance impact everyday life and activities of such patients. Robotic therapy and assessment are becoming important tools to clinical evaluation for post-stroke rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine in a more objective manner the effects of visual feedback balance training through a balance trainer system and radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT), along with conventional physiotherapy, on lower limb post-stroke spasticity, trunk control, and static and dynamic balance through clinical and stabilometric assessment. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. The experimental group underwent conventional physiotherapy, visual feedback balance training, and rESWT. The control group underwent conventional physiotherapy, visual feedback training and sham rESWT. The statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Software and MATLAB. Primary clinical outcome measures were The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), passive range of motion (PROM), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Clonus score. Secondary outcome measures were trunk performance, sensorimotor, and lower limb function. Stabilometric outcome measures were trunk control, static balance, and dynamic balance. Visual feedback training using the Prokin system and rESWT intervention, along with conventional physiotherapy, yielded statistically significant improvement both on clinical and stabilometric outcome measures, enhancing static and dynamic balance, trunk performance, sensorimotor outcome, and limb function and considerably diminishing lower limb spasticity, pain intensity, and clonus score in the experimental group.


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