Body-weight-supported treadmill rehabilitation after stroke.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Locomotor training, including the use of body-weight support in treadmill stepping, is a physical therapy intervention used to improve recovery of the ability to walk after stroke. The effectiveness and appropriate timing of this intervention have not been established.

Methods

We stratified 408 participants who had had a stroke 2 months earlier according to the extent of walking impairment--moderate (able to walk 0.4 to <0.8 m per second) or severe (able to walk <0.4 m per second)--and randomly assigned them to one of three training groups. One group received training on a treadmill with the use of body-weight support 2 months after the stroke had occurred (early locomotor training), the second group received this training 6 months after the stroke had occurred (l

SUBMITTER: Duncan PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3175688 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature