US University conducts a clinical trial of Optimizing Training in Severe Post-Stroke Walking Impairment
Photo by Robina Weermeijer
The University of Cincinnati is starting a new clinical trial of Optimizing Training in Severe Post-Stroke Walking Impairment.
Difficulty walking is common after a stroke. Although physical rehabilitation helps a little with the improvement of walking ability, recovery is usually incomplete. The purpose of this study is to explore how two different treadmill training approaches influence walking speed, symmetry, and balance in people with chronic severe stroke-related walking impairment. The two approaches involve either forward or backwards treadmill training. This study will look at changes in walking performance and balance, before and after training. This study may lead to more efficient methods for improving walking performance and balance after stroke.
Severe walking impairment after stroke is defined as the inability to walk faster than 0.4 meters per second and impacts nearly twenty-five percent of chronic stroke survivors. Walking speed is a key determiner of community independence, and stroke survivors classified as "severe" are more often symptomatically home-bound with limited mobility and are at higher risk of falls, fractures, and rehospitalizations. A recent study by the investigators suggests that backward locomotion treadmill training (BLTT) may be a promising rehabilitative approach in stroke survivors with severe walking impairment; however, the effect of training duration on behavioral outcomes is unknown.
The clinical trial started in October 15, 2020 and will continue throughout December 30, 2023.
Among the criteria that do not allow participation, the following are indicated:
- Unstable cardiac status which would preclude participation in a moderate-intensity exercise program.
- Significant language barrier which might prevent the participant from following instructions during training and testing.
- Adverse health condition that might affect walking capacity (severe arthritis, significant pulmonary disease significant ataxia, or severe hemi-neglect).
- Severe lower extremity spasticity (Ashworth >2).
- Depression (>10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire, if untreated).
The contacts and locations are the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
For more details: https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT04721860
