Weight-bearing Training in Stroke Patients.

Immediate Effects of Lower Limb Loading Training During Sit-to-stand and Stepping With and Without External Feedback in Ambulatory Individuals With Stroke

1. Are there differences in weight-bearing (WB) and WB symmetry immediately following STS and stepping training with or without using external feedback in ambulatory patients with stroke?

1. Are there differences in mobility immediately following STS and stepping training with or without using external feedback in ambulatory patients with stroke?

Subjects are patients with stroke, the age of over 40 years to 74 years, both males and females who are able to walk independently at least 10 meters. Most of them will be recruited from a tertiary rehabilitation center and communities. Subjects have to participate in STS and stepping training with and without using the external feedback for 1 time/condition with a wash-out period for 2 weeks (crossover design). The outcomes will be measured in terms of WB ability during STS and stepping, walking speed, and balance ability.

The primary outcomes were WB ability on the affected limb and WB symmetry. Secondary outcomes were walking speed and balance ability.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Independent ambulatory patients with chronic stroke (post-stroke time more than 6 months)
• Age at least 40 years to 74 years
• Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5- 29.9 kg/m^2
• Ability of independent walking over at least 10 meters with or without a walking device
• Ability to rise from a chair with or without using their arms
• Ability to follow a command used in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

any conditions that may affect ambulatory ability or ability to participate in the study, such as

• Auditory or visual deficits that are unable to be corrected by a hearing aid, glasses or contact lens
• Musculoskeletal pain with a pain scale more than 5 out of 10 on a visual analog scale (VAS)
• Deformity in the limbs or spine that affect ambulatory ability
• Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) more 2 score
• Unstable cardiovascular, orthopedics, musculoskeletal, or neurological disease other than stroke.