OBJECTIVE: To document the effects of underwater treadmill training (UTT) on leg strength, balance, and walking performance in adults with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). DESIGN: Pre-test and post-test design. SETTING: Exercise physiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Adult volunteers with iSCI (n = 11). INTERVENTION: Participants completed 8 weeks (3 × /week) of UTT. Each training session consisted of three walks performed at a personalized speed, with adequate rest between walks. Body weight support remained constant for each participant and ranged from 29 to 47% of land body weight. Increases in walking speed and duration were staggered and imposed in a gradual and systematic fashion. OUTCOME MEASURES: Lower-extremity strength (LS), balance (BL), preferred and rapid walking speeds (PWS and RWS), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and daily step activity (DSA). RESULTS: Significant (P < 0.05) increases were observed in LS (13.1 ± 3.1 to 20.6 ± 5.1 N·kg(-1)), BL (23 ± 11 to 32 ± 13), PWS (0.41 ± 0.27 to 0.55 ± 0.28 m·s(-1)), RWS (0.44 ± 0.31 to 0.71 ± 0.40 m·s(-1)), 6MWD (97 ± 80 to 177 ± 122 m), and DSA (593 ± 782 to 1310 ± 1258 steps) following UTT. CONCLUSION: Physical function and walking ability were improved in adults with iSCI following a structured program of UTT featuring individualized levels of body weight support and carefully staged increases in speed and duration. From a clinical perspective, these findings highlight the potential of UTT in persons with physical disabilities and diseases that would benefit from weight-supported exercise.
OBJECTIVE: To document the effects of underwater treadmill training (UTT) on leg strength, balance, and walking performance in adults with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). DESIGN: Pre-test and post-test design. SETTING: Exercise physiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Adult volunteers with iSCI (n = 11). INTERVENTION: Participants completed 8 weeks (3 × /week) of UTT. Each training session consisted of three walks performed at a personalized speed, with adequate rest between walks. Body weight support remained constant for each participant and ranged from 29 to 47% of land body weight. Increases in walking speed and duration were staggered and imposed in a gradual and systematic fashion. OUTCOME MEASURES: Lower-extremity strength (LS), balance (BL), preferred and rapid walking speeds (PWS and RWS), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and daily step activity (DSA). RESULTS: Significant (P < 0.05) increases were observed in LS (13.1 ± 3.1 to 20.6 ± 5.1 N·kg(-1)), BL (23 ± 11 to 32 ± 13), PWS (0.41 ± 0.27 to 0.55 ± 0.28 m·s(-1)), RWS (0.44 ± 0.31 to 0.71 ± 0.40 m·s(-1)), 6MWD (97 ± 80 to 177 ± 122 m), and DSA (593 ± 782 to 1310 ± 1258 steps) following UTT. CONCLUSION: Physical function and walking ability were improved in adults with iSCI following a structured program of UTT featuring individualized levels of body weight support and carefully staged increases in speed and duration. From a clinical perspective, these findings highlight the potential of UTT in persons with physical disabilities and diseases that would benefit from weight-supported exercise.
Entities:
Keywords:
Aquatic gait training; Gait training; Incomplete spinal cord injury; Partial body weight-supported treadmill training; Underwater treadmill; Water therapy
Authors: Bruce H Dobkin; David Apple; Hugues Barbeau; Michele Basso; Andrea Behrman; Dan Deforge; John Ditunno; Gary Dudley; Robert Elashoff; Lisa Fugate; Susan Harkema; Michael Saulino; Michael Scott Journal: Neurorehabil Neural Repair Date: 2003-09 Impact factor: 3.919
Authors: B Dobkin; H Barbeau; D Deforge; J Ditunno; R Elashoff; D Apple; M Basso; A Behrman; S Harkema; M Saulino; M Scott Journal: Neurorehabil Neural Repair Date: 2007 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 3.919
Authors: Andrea L Behrman; Anna R Lawless-Dixon; Sandra B Davis; Mark G Bowden; Preeti Nair; Chetan Phadke; Elizabeth M Hannold; Prudence Plummer; Susan J Harkema Journal: Phys Ther Date: 2005-12
Authors: Natalia Alexeeva; Carol Sames; Patrick L Jacobs; Lori Hobday; Marcello M Distasio; Sarah A Mitchell; Blair Calancie Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2011 Impact factor: 1.985
Authors: Catrine Tudor-Locke; Barbara E Ainsworth; Raymond W Thompson; Charles E Matthews Journal: Med Sci Sports Exerc Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 5.411
Authors: Julie K Tilson; Katherine J Sullivan; Steven Y Cen; Dorian K Rose; Cherisha H Koradia; Stanley P Azen; Pamela W Duncan Journal: Phys Ther Date: 2009-12-18
Authors: Susan J Harkema; Mary Schmidt-Read; Douglas J Lorenz; V Reggie Edgerton; Andrea L Behrman Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2011-07-20 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: J Visser; E Mans; M de Visser; R M van den Berg-Vos; H Franssen; J M B V de Jong; L H van den Berg; J H J Wokke; R J de Haan Journal: Neuromuscul Disord Date: 2003-11 Impact factor: 4.296
Authors: Peter H Gorman; William Scott; Leslie VanHiel; Keith E Tansey; W Mark Sweatman; Paula Richley Geigle Journal: Spinal Cord Date: 2019-01-18 Impact factor: 2.772
Authors: Andresa R Marinho-Buzelli; Ana Maria Forti Barela; B Catharine Craven; Kei Masani; Hossein Rouhani; Milos R Popovic; Mary C Verrier Journal: Spinal Cord Ser Cases Date: 2019-10-16
Authors: Andresa R Marinho-Buzelli; Hossein Rouhani; Beverley Catharine Craven; Kei Masani; José Angelo Barela; Milos R Popovic; Mary C Verrier Journal: Spinal Cord Ser Cases Date: 2019-01-17
Authors: Andresa R Marinho-Buzelli; Alexandra J Zaluski; Avril Mansfield; Alison M Bonnyman; Kristin E Musselman Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2019-10 Impact factor: 1.985
Authors: Hayk A Petrosyan; Valentina Alessi; Arsen S Hunanyan; Sue A Sisto; Victor L Arvanian Journal: J Neurophysiol Date: 2015-09-30 Impact factor: 2.714
Authors: Anna Ogonowska-Slodownik; Paula R Geigle; Peter H Gorman; Robert Slodownik; William H Scott Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2019-01-11 Impact factor: 1.985