Rapid and long-term adaptations in gait symmetry following unilateral step training in people with hemiparesis.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objective

Evidence for specific physical interventions that improve walking symmetry in individuals with hemiparesis poststroke is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the rapid and prolonged effects of unilateral step training (UST) on step length asymmetry (SLA) in people with hemiparesis.

Subjects and design

Eighteen individuals with chronic hemiparesis and substantial SLA during overground walking participated in a single-group, pretest-posttest study. The study consisted of 2 phases, with 10 subjects participating in each phase; 2 subjects participated in both phases.

Interventions and measurements

To investigate rapid effects of UST, the participants completed a 20-minute session of UST on a treadmill with their unimpaired limb, with

SUBMITTER: Kahn JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2676432 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature