Augmenting propulsion demands during split-belt walking increases locomotor adaptation of asymmetric step lengths.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Promising studies have shown that the gait symmetry of individuals with hemiparesis due to brain lesions, such as stroke, can improve through motor adaptation protocols forcing patients to use their affected limb more. However, little is known about how to facilitate this process. Here we asked if increasing propulsion demands during split-belt walking (i.e., legs moving at different speeds) leads to more motor adaptation and more symmetric gait in survivors of a stroke, as we previously observed in subjects without neurological disorders.

Methods

We investigated the effect of propulsion forces on locomotor adaptation during and after split-belt walking in the asymmetric motor system post-stroke. To test this, 12 subjects in the chronic phase post-stroke experienc

SUBMITTER: Sombric CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7268294 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature