Gait outcomes after acute stroke rehabilitation with supported treadmill ambulation training: A randomized controlled pilot study

Inaacutecio Teixeira Da Cunha, Peter A. Lim, Huma Qureshy, Helene Henson, Trilok Monga, Elizabeth J. Protas

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    140 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Objective: To investigate gait outcomes with supported treadmill ambulation training (STAT) associated with regular rehabilitation in acute stroke survivors. Design: Randomized controlled trial, pilot study. Setting: Rehabilitation medicine service at a Veterans Affairs medical center. Participants: Seven acute stroke survivors assigned to regular intervention group and 6 patients assigned to STAT intervention. Interventions: Regular intervention consisted of 3 hours daily of physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, and occupational therapy. STAT group received regular rehabilitation with STAT substituted for usual gait training, Participants were tested at baseline, treated for an average of 3 weeks, and retested on discharge. The analysis of covariance procedure was used to test for differences between the 2 approaches. Main Outcome Measures: Functional Ambulation Category Scale, gait speed, walking distance, gait energy expenditure, and gait energy cost. Results: The small sample size did not generate enough power to detect significant differences in any variable, However, medium to large effect sizes of 0.7 and 1.16 standard deviation units were observed for gait energy cost and walk distance, respectively. Conclusions: This pilot study indicated that STAT is a safe, feasible, and promising intervention for acute stroke survivors. A larger trial is warranted for statistical relevance.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)1258-1265
    Number of pages8
    JournalArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Volume83
    Issue number9
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Sep 2002

    Keywords

    • Ambulation
    • Cerebrovascular accident
    • Gait
    • Rehabilitation
    • Treadmill test

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
    • Rehabilitation

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