Back to Search
Start Over
Biomechanical differences between self-paced and fixed-speed treadmill walking in persons after stroke.
- Source :
-
Human Movement Science . Oct2022, Vol. 85, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Using self-paced treadmills for gait analysis requires less space compared to overground gait labs while a more natural walking pattern could be preserved compared to fixed-speed treadmill walking. Although self-paced treadmills have been used in stroke related intervention studies, studies comparing self-paced to fixed-speed treadmill walking in this population are scarce.<bold>Methods: </bold>Twenty-five persons after stroke (10 males/15 females; 53 ± 12.05 years; 40.72 ± 42.94 months post stroke) walked on a treadmill in a virtual environment (GRAIL, Motek) in two conditions (self-paced and fixed-speed). After familiarization, all participants completed two trials (3 min) at comfortable walking velocity in randomized order. A paired-sample t-test or Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to calculate differences between both conditions for spatiotemporal parameters. Statistical Parametric mapping was conducted using the t-tests (SPM(t)), to statistically compare the kinematic and kinetic curves.<bold>Results: </bold>The self-selected walking velocity on the treadmill was higher in the self-paced condition compared to the fixed-speed condition (p < 0.001). However, most variability and symmetry measures were similar in both conditions. Only the standard deviation of the step length at the paretic side was significant higher (p = 0.007) and step length symmetry was significantly better (p = 0.032) in the self-paced condition. Detected kinematic and kinetic differences were small (< 3°, < 0.1 Nm/kg) and stride to stride variability was comparable in both conditions.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Based on the results of the current study, self-paced walking can be used as an equivalent to fixed-speed treadmill walking in persons after stroke. Accordingly, this justifies the use of this more functional mode in clinical gait assessment and rehabilitation trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01679457
- Volume :
- 85
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Human Movement Science
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 159360316
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2022.102983