Gait Training For Acute Stroke: Functional Neuromuscular Stimulation (FNS) and Weight Supported Treadmill Training

February 3, 2009 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Gait Training For Acute Stroke: FNS and Weight Supported Treadmill Training

Conventional rehabilitation does not restore normal, safe gait to many stroke survivors. Functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) using intramuscular (IM) electrodes (FNS-IM) improved persistent gait deficits for patients with chronic stroke (1-7 years post stroke), but required a long protocol of 6-18 months. For chronic deficits, a shortened response to treatment (3 months) was obtained by combining FNS-IM with body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT). Gains included strength, coordination, gait kinematics, walking endurance, and quality of life. Gait deficits treated in the chronic phase are more resistant to treatment than in the early recovery phase, because chronic, abnormal movement patterns are more ingrained. Therefore, during the early recovery phase, it is likely that a relatively greater treatment response will be obtained. The purpose of the proposed work is to test the combination FNS-IM + BWSTT during the early recovery phase following stroke. Hypothesis I is: FNS-IM + BWSTT will restore volitional gait more completely for subjects during the early recovery phase following stroke, compared to BWSTT alone. Subjects will be admitted at 1-11 months after stroke. Thirty five subjects will be randomized to one of the two treatment groups. They will be treated for 48 sessions, four sessions/week. Primary outcome measures will be: kinematic swing phase gait components, energy cost of gait, and an index of walking endurance. Secondary outcome measures will be kinematic stance phase gait components and gait speed. The second set of hypotheses will test the relationship between restoration of mobility and measurements of impairment, function and quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Conventional rehabilitation does not restore normal, safe gait to many stroke survivors. Functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) using intramuscular (IM) electrodes (FNS-IM) improved persistent gait deficits for patients with chronic stroke (1-7 years post stroke), but required a long protocol of 6-18 months. For chronic deficits, a shortened response to treatment (3 months) was obtained by combining FNS-IM with body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT). Gains included strength, coordination, gait kinematics, walking endurance, and quality of life. Gait deficits treated in the chronic phase are more resistant to treatment than in the early recovery phase, because chronic, abnormal movement patterns are more ingrained. Therefore, during the early recovery phase, it is likely that a relatively greater treatment response will be obtained. The purpose of the proposed work is to test the combination FNS-IM + BWSTT during the early recovery phase following stroke. Hypothesis I is: FNS-IM + BWSTT will restore volitional gait more completely for subjects during the early recovery phase following stroke, compared to BWSTT alone. Subjects will be admitted at 1-11 months after stroke. Thirty five subjects will be randomized to one of the two treatment groups. They will be treated for 48 sessions, four sessions/week. Primary outcome measures will be: kinematic swing phase gait components, energy cost of gait, and an index of walking endurance. Secondary outcome measures will be kinematic stance phase gait components and gait speed. The second set of hypotheses will test the relationship between restoration of mobility and measurements of impairment, function and quality of life. Additionally, co-variates will be assessed at entry into the study: gender, age, mood, co-morbidities, time since stroke, and weeks of prior rehabilitation. Data for outcome measures will be collected at weeks 1, 6, 12, and 6 months after the end of treatment. For Hypothesis I testing, contrasts will be made between the two treatment groups. A separate regression model will be analyzed for each outcome measure. The post-test score for a given primary outcome measure will serve as the dependent variable in a regression model. The two independent variables will be the treatment assignment information (as a dichotomous variable) and the pretest score on the given outcome measure (the covariate). In additional model analyses for the second set of hypotheses, the relationships will be ascertained between mobility restoration and impairment, function, and quality of life. Mobility deficits following stroke pose a significant economic, social, and psychological hardship to the individual and to society. Development of techniques that improve lower extremity function will improve the quality of life and reduce associated health care costs for patients after stroke. The results of the proposed study have the potential to provide a new acute stroke treatment that will increase the rate of recovery, produce a more comprehensive recovery of motor function, safer gait, greater functional independence, and enhanced quality of life.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

70

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
        • Cleveland VA Medical Center; Research Service

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Stroke 1-11 months ago
  • Inability to move leg normally

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pacemaker
  • Progressive medical condition (i.e. Parkinsons Disease)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2003

Study Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 10, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 10, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

January 11, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 5, 2009

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 3, 2009

Last Verified

January 1, 2005

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • A3102R

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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