Improving Dynamic Balance and Gait Adaptability Using Treadmill Training

Improving Dynamic Balance and Gait Adaptability Using Treadmill Training With Visual Cues in Subjects With Neurological Disorders: Design of a Pilot Study

Balance and gait problems in subjects with neurological disease lead to reduced mobility, loss of independence and frequent falls. Treadmill training is a widely used form of treatment and it has been used in subjects with neurological disease to ameliorate walking and balance deficits. The Virtual Reality Treadmill as a therapeutic tool has been recently introduced to practice gait adaptability elicited by aligning foot placement relative to the projected visual context.

Forty-eight subjects with neurological disease will receive treadmill training treatment randomly divided in Traditional Treadmill training and Virtual Reality Treadmill training.

The aim of this randomized controlled study is to assess whether Treadmill training with Virtual Reality is better than Traditional Treadmill training in improving dynamic balance and cognitive aspects in subjects with neurological diseases.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (no relapse within the previous three months;), Parkinsons Disease (Hoenhn and Yahr Scale ≤4), Stroke (Time from onset >2 months)
• Able to walk 20 meters with or without assistive device
• Cognitive impairment (MMSE score ≥ 21)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to understand the aim of the study and unable to sign the informed consent
• Steroidal drugs therapy for subjects with Multiple Sclerosis
• Subjects with Psychiatric disorders
• Subjects with Visual impairments
• Subjects with cardiovascular disease