Is walking really the best therapy for walking recovery after stroke?

Is the recovery of walking velocity and symmetry after stroke enhanced more by balance strength and coordination training than by treadmill training?

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12613000994785

Enrollment

Registered

2013-09-05

Start date

2014-02-03

Completion date

2016-05-27

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Regaining independence is a prized goal for stroke survivors. Crucial to independence is an ability to walk safely in the community. It is therefore important to identify the most effective components of walking therapy. It is equally important that we understand the way the nervous system drives walking recovery after stroke. The study will test the hypothesis that balance, strength and coordination training is as effective, or more effective, than treadmill walking alone. Changes in nervous system activity associated with walking recovery will also be assessed. Study outcomes are expected to inform therapy design and the distribution of clinical resources.

Interventions

Walking rehabilitation using individualised balance, strength and coordination training conducted by a physiotherapist during 12 x 30-minute sessions over 4-weeks. Simple equipment such as Therabands, chairs, and balls will be used for this training. The therapy will include both upper and lower limb tasks. Since each training session for each patient is conducted by a physiotherapist adherence will be inherent.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 90 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Between 3 months and 2 years post-stroke Overground gait velocity between 0.6 and 1.0 m/s

Exclusion criteria

Less than 3 months or greater than 2 years post-stroke Patient receiving other walking therapy Brain stem stroke Orthopaedic conditions that would affect gait patterns Co-morbidities that would restrict walking such as cardio-pulmonary disease and morbid obesity Vision deficits, apraxia, or neglect that would be a barrier to training Mini-Mental State Exam score < 20 Cognitive or communication deficits that preclude informed consent and study engagement Contraindications to TMS

Outcome results