QUESTION: Does mechanically assisted walking increase walking speed or distance in ambulatory people with stroke compared with no intervention/non-walking intervention, or with overground walking? DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised trials. PARTICIPANTS: Ambulatory adults with stroke. INTERVENTION: Mechanically assisted walking (treadmill or gait trainer) without body weight support. OUTCOME MEASURES: Walking speed measured in m/s during the 10-m Walk Test and walking distance measured in m during the 6-min Walk Test. RESULTS: Nine studies of treadmill training comprising 977 participants were included. Treadmill training resulted in faster walking than no intervention/non-walking intervention immediately after the intervention period (MD 0.14m/s, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.19) and this was maintained beyond the intervention period (MD -0.12m/s, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.17). It also resulted in greater walking distance immediately after the intervention period (MD 40m, 95% CI 27 to 53) and this was also maintained beyond the intervention period (MD 40m, 95% CI 24 to 55). There was no immediate, statistically significant difference between treadmill training and overground training in terms of walking speed (MD 0.05m/s, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.21) or distance (MD -6m, 95% CI -45 to 33). CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides evidence that, for people with stroke who can walk, treadmill training without body weight support results in faster walking speed and greater distance than no intervention/ non-walking intervention and the benefit is maintained beyond the training period.
QUESTION: Does mechanically assisted walking increase walking speed or distance in ambulatory people with stroke compared with no intervention/non-walking intervention, or with overground walking? DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised trials. PARTICIPANTS: Ambulatory adults with stroke. INTERVENTION: Mechanically assisted walking (treadmill or gait trainer) without body weight support. OUTCOME MEASURES: Walking speed measured in m/s during the 10-m Walk Test and walking distance measured in m during the 6-min Walk Test. RESULTS: Nine studies of treadmill training comprising 977 participants were included. Treadmill training resulted in faster walking than no intervention/non-walking intervention immediately after the intervention period (MD 0.14m/s, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.19) and this was maintained beyond the intervention period (MD -0.12m/s, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.17). It also resulted in greater walking distance immediately after the intervention period (MD 40m, 95% CI 27 to 53) and this was also maintained beyond the intervention period (MD 40m, 95% CI 24 to 55). There was no immediate, statistically significant difference between treadmill training and overground training in terms of walking speed (MD 0.05m/s, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.21) or distance (MD -6m, 95% CI -45 to 33). CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides evidence that, for people with stroke who can walk, treadmill training without body weight support results in faster walking speed and greater distance than no intervention/ non-walking intervention and the benefit is maintained beyond the training period.
Authors: David H Saunders; Mark Sanderson; Sara Hayes; Maeve Kilrane; Carolyn A Greig; Miriam Brazzelli; Gillian E Mead Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2016-03-24
Authors: Juliana M Rodrigues-Baroni; Lucas R Nascimento; Louise Ada; Luci F Teixeira-Salmela Journal: Braz J Phys Ther Date: 2014 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 3.377
Authors: Karen S G Chua; Johnny Chee; Chin J Wong; Pang H Lim; Wei S Lim; Chuan M Hoo; Wai S Ong; Mira L Shen; Wei S Yu Journal: Front Neurosci Date: 2015-07-10 Impact factor: 4.677