Margo C Donlin1, Nicole T Ray2, Jill S Higginson3. 1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. Electronic address: donlinm@udel.edu. 2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. 3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Walking with user-driven treadmill control is believed to be more like overground walking than fixed-speed treadmill walking. Walking speed and ground reaction forces differ between overground and fixed-speed treadmill walking, but not between overground and user-driven treadmill walking in healthy and post-stroke subjects. However, studies assessing spatiotemporal gait parameters during user-driven treadmill walking are limited. This information may help confirm that user-driven treadmill walking is more like overground walking than fixed-speed treadmill walking, as well as inform the development of post-stroke gait rehabilitation programs. RESEARCH QUESTION: How do spatiotemporal gait parameters for individuals post-stroke differ between fixed-speed and user-driven treadmill walking? METHODS: Eighteen subjects (10 M, 8 F; 62 ± 12 years; 1.73 ± 0.12 m; 84.9 ± 12.9 kg; 40 ± 30 months post-stroke) with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis participated in this study. Participants walked on an instrumented treadmill in its fixed-speed and user-driven modes at their self-selected and fastest comfortable walking speeds. Subjects wore retroreflective markers for motion capture. Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to assess for normality and one-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare between conditions with α = 0.05. Bonferroni corrections were used for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Step width was significantly smaller with user-driven control (13.7 cm, 95 % CI: [0.131, 0.145]) than fixed-speed control (16.8 cm, 95 % CI:[0.160, 0.174]), while step length and step time did not differ across treadmill conditions. Step length and step time differed between self-selected and fast walking speeds, but not treadmill control conditions. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study show that user-driven treadmill control encourages healthy gait biomechanics and a greater sense of stability in post-stroke subjects. Individuals post-stroke walked with smaller step width with user-driven treadmill control, which has been associated with increased balance. Post-stroke gait rehabilitation may benefit from programs with user-driven treadmill training paradigms to improve mobility following stroke.
BACKGROUND: Walking with user-driven treadmill control is believed to be more like overground walking than fixed-speed treadmill walking. Walking speed and ground reaction forces differ between overground and fixed-speed treadmill walking, but not between overground and user-driven treadmill walking in healthy and post-stroke subjects. However, studies assessing spatiotemporal gait parameters during user-driven treadmill walking are limited. This information may help confirm that user-driven treadmill walking is more like overground walking than fixed-speed treadmill walking, as well as inform the development of post-stroke gait rehabilitation programs. RESEARCH QUESTION: How do spatiotemporal gait parameters for individuals post-stroke differ between fixed-speed and user-driven treadmill walking? METHODS: Eighteen subjects (10 M, 8 F; 62 ± 12 years; 1.73 ± 0.12 m; 84.9 ± 12.9 kg; 40 ± 30 months post-stroke) with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis participated in this study. Participants walked on an instrumented treadmill in its fixed-speed and user-driven modes at their self-selected and fastest comfortable walking speeds. Subjects wore retroreflective markers for motion capture. Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to assess for normality and one-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare between conditions with α = 0.05. Bonferroni corrections were used for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Step width was significantly smaller with user-driven control (13.7 cm, 95 % CI: [0.131, 0.145]) than fixed-speed control (16.8 cm, 95 % CI:[0.160, 0.174]), while step length and step time did not differ across treadmill conditions. Step length and step time differed between self-selected and fast walking speeds, but not treadmill control conditions. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study show that user-driven treadmill control encourages healthy gait biomechanics and a greater sense of stability in post-stroke subjects. Individuals post-stroke walked with smaller step width with user-driven treadmill control, which has been associated with increased balance. Post-stroke gait rehabilitation may benefit from programs with user-driven treadmill training paradigms to improve mobility following stroke.
Authors: John H Hollman; Molly K Watkins; Angela C Imhoff; Carly E Braun; Kristen A Akervik; Debra K Ness Journal: Gait Posture Date: 2015-10-23 Impact factor: 2.840
Authors: Kara K Patterson; Avril Mansfield; Louis Biasin; Karen Brunton; Elizabeth L Inness; William E McIlroy Journal: Neurorehabil Neural Repair Date: 2014-05-13 Impact factor: 3.919
Authors: G Abellan van Kan; Y Rolland; S Andrieu; J Bauer; O Beauchet; M Bonnefoy; M Cesari; L M Donini; S Gillette Guyonnet; M Inzitari; F Nourhashemi; G Onder; P Ritz; A Salva; M Visser; B Vellas Journal: J Nutr Health Aging Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 4.075