Comparative Effects of Backward Treadmill Walking and Lower Extremity Cross Training Among Stroke Patients

Comparative Effects of Backward Treadmill Walking and Lower Extremity Cross Training on Gross Motor Function and Balance Among Stroke Patients

Stroke is one of the high rated neurological disorders, induced by disruption of brain's blood flow. Stroke can alter the level of consciousness, motor and cognitive skills, sensory perception and language; it all depends on the extent of injury and the region of brain that is affected. Even though all the rehabilitation given to the "stroke" patients, but still 25-30% of the survivors still have gait and balance problem and they require complete physical support before their discharge from the hospital. Backward treadmill walking has reported numerous benefits in improving balance, motor function and gait. Cross training is a technique which is applied to healthy limb of the individual to increase muscle strength and muscle activity.so the aim of this study is to find the effects of backward treadmill walking and lower extremity cross training on gross motor function and balance among stroke patients.

The study will be randomized clinical trials, Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups each group will have 13. This study will be conducted in Safi teaching Hospital Faisalabad. Group A will be treated with backward treadmill walking and group B will be treated with lower extremity cross training. All participants will receive conventional physical exercises which includes general mobility and functional activities. In this study, the 40-minute training programs for both groups will be occur 5 times a week for 6 weeks, with 5 minutes being allocated for warm up, 30 minutes devoted to the main exercise, and 5 minutes for cool down. Outcome will be measured before and after giving treatment by using Tinetti performance oriented mobility assessment and lower extremity functional scale. The results will be calculated by using SPSS version 25. Frequencies and mean standard deviation will be measured, parametric and non-parametric tests will be applied

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hemiplegic stroke patient diagnosed within last 6 months to 1 year
• Age 55 to 75 years
• Cognition score on Mini-mental state examination > 24
• Able to independently walk 10 m without walking aids
• Able to understand instructions

Exclusion Criteria:

• Who will have visual or vestibular injury
• Patients having history of orthopedic surgery or having an orthopedic condition
• Who will have >grade 2 on modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)