Stroke
Conditions
Keywords
split-belt walking
Brief summary
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in adults. Although many individuals regain independent walking ability following stroke, nearly 50% experience persistent gait impairments characterized by asymmetrical walking patterns, slower walking speed, impaired balance, and increased fall risk. These persistent mobility limitations highlight the continued need for innovative rehabilitation strategies that improve gait function during stroke recovery. Split-belt treadmill walking (SBTW), in which each leg walks at a different belt speed, has demonstrated potential to improve step length symmetry in individuals with chronic stroke. However, the effects of SBTW during the subacute stage of stroke recovery, within the first 9 months post-stroke when neuroplasticity may be heightened, remain largely unknown. In addition, previous SBTW studies have not integrated active physiotherapist-led gait retraining into the intervention, despite physiotherapist-led gait rehabilitation representing standard clinical care following stroke. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to compare physiotherapist-led gait retraining using a traditional treadmill training protocol to physiotherapist-led gait retraining integrated with a split-belt treadmill training protocol during the first 9 months post-stroke. The study aims to examine the effectiveness of the use of split-belt treadmill training to augment physiotherapist-led gait retraining to improve between-leg gait symmetry and overground walking speed.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSplit-belt walking training
Participants randomized to the split-belt training group will complete 12 sessions of split-belt treadmill walking training over 4 weeks, delivered 3 times per week. Training will be performed on an instrumented split-belt treadmill and will include split-belt and tied-belt walking conditions. A physiotherapist will provide gait retraining during each session.
Sponsors
University of British Columbia
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* unilateral stroke resulting in hemiparesis * less than 9 months post-stroke * ability to walk ten metres with or without walking aids * ability to stand without support for five minutes * English speaking
Exclusion criteria
* medically unfit to participate e.g. cardiac or respiratory disease limiting ability to perform walking tasks * neuromuscular impairment, other than stroke, limiting mobility, e.g. ankle sprain, joint disease such as severe arthritis * cognitive/communication impairment impacting ability to follow instructions * diagnosis of clinical depression or anxiety disorders requiring medication
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Step length symmetry | Baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up | — |
| Self-selected gait speeds | Baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up | Self-selected gait speeds at both comfortable and fast speed will be measured by overground 10 meter walk tests |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
CONTACTCourtney Pollock, PT PhD
CONTACTBeier Lin
Outcome results
None listed