The cognitive and motor dual task gait training can result in beneficial effects on dual task gait performance in individuals with stroke – a pilot study

Participants in the cognitive dual task group were instructed to perform cognitive tasks while walking on level surface. The cognitive dual tasks included: (1) walking with repeating phrases, (2) walking with counting number forward in order by 1's, (3) walking with counting number backward in order by 1’s, (4) walking with executing a word chain (solitaire), (5) walking with reciting a poem, (6) walking with talking, and (7) walking with reciting a sentence backward. Various practice for the walking condition involved walking forward, walking backward, and walking on an S-shaped route. The participant was challenged with increasingly difficult tasks. Participants in the motor dual task group were instructed to perform motor tasks while walking on the level surface. The motor dual tasks included: (1) walking while holding 1 or 2 balls (diameter = 20 cm), (2) walking while raising an umbrella by both hands, (3) walking while waving a rattle, (4) walking while beating a castanet, (5) walking while bouncing a basketball (diameter = 24.6 cm), (6) walking while kicking a basketball which was put in a net, and the net was held by the participant, and (7) walking while holding 1 ball and concurrently kicking another basketball in a net. Various practice for the walking condition involved walking forward, walking backward, and walking on an S-shaped route. The participant was challenged with increasingly difficult tasks. Participants in the control group received the conventional physical therapy, including muscle strengthening, balance, and gait training programs. All the intervention period was 30 min per session, 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. And it was individual face-to-face sessions with a physiotherapist.