Gait Improvement in Chronic Stroke Survivors by Using an Innovative Gait Training Machine: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Patcharee Kooncumchoo, Phuwarin Namdaeng, Somrudee Hanmanop, Bunyong Rungroungdouyboon, Kultida Klarod, Sirirat Kiatkulanusorn and Nongnuch Luangpon
Additional contact information
Patcharee Kooncumchoo: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Phuwarin Namdaeng: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Somrudee Hanmanop: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Bunyong Rungroungdouyboon: Center of Excellence in Creative Engineering Design and Development, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Kultida Klarod: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi 20131, Thailand
Sirirat Kiatkulanusorn: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi 20131, Thailand
Nongnuch Luangpon: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi 20131, Thailand

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Chronic stroke leads to the impairment of lower limb function and gait performance. After in-hospital rehabilitation, most individuals lack continuous gait training because of the limited number of physical therapists. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a newly invented gait training machine (I-Walk) on lower limb function and gait performance in chronic stroke individuals. Thirty community-dwelling chronic stroke individuals were allocated to the I-Walk machine group ( n = 15) or the overground gait training (control) group ( n = 15). Both groups received 30 min of upper limb and hand movement and sit-to-stand training. After that, the I-Walk group received 30 min of I-Walk training, while the control followed a 30-minute overground training program. All the individuals were trained 3 days/week for 8 weeks. The primary outcome of the motor recovery of lower limb impairment was measured using the Fugl–Meyer Assessment (FMA). The secondary outcomes for gait performance were the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT), the 10-meter walk test (10 MWT), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG). The two-way mixed-model ANOVA with the Bonferroni test was used to compare means within and between groups. The post-intervention motor and sensory subscales of the FMA significantly increased compared to the baseline in both groups. Moreover, the 6 MWT and 10 MWT values also improved in both groups. In addition, the mean difference of TUG in the I-Walk was higher than the control. The efficiency of I-Walk training was comparable to overground training and might be applied for chronic stroke gait training in the community.

Keywords: stroke; gait training; lower limb impairment; motor recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/224/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/224/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:224-:d:711274

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().