Perturbed-balance Training During Treadmill Walking for Stroke Subjects

Feasibility of Perturbed-balance Training During Treadmill Walking in a High-functioning Chronic Stroke Subject: a Case-control Study

A control and a post-stroke subject with right-side chronic hemiparesis were studied. The post-stroke subject underwent 30 sessions of balance-perturbed training while walking on an instrumented treadmill where the Balance Assessment Robot (BAR™) randomly delivered pushes to pelvis in various directions at various speeds and at various perturbation amplitudes. The investigators assessed kinematics, kinetics, electromiography and spatio-temporal responses to outward-directed perturbations commencing either at foot contact of the left or the right leg.

For a detailed description of the study, see the Arms and Interventions section.

Inclusion criteria:

• Case: community-dwelling, high-functioning stroke survivor
• Control: healthy volunteer, height- and weight-matched to the Case

Exclusion criteria:

• any disease or injury affecting cognition
• any disease or injury affecting balance or gait