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THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — High-intensity stepping training that mimics real-world conditions may better improve walking ability in stroke survivors, according to a study published in the September issue of Stroke<\/i>.<\/p>\n
T. George Hornby, Ph.D., P.T., from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues conducted a phase 2, randomized trial in which individuals (18 to 85 years old) with poststroke hemiparesis of at least six months in duration were assigned to one of three training groups: high-intensity stepping of variable, difficult stepping tasks (high variable); high-intensity stepping with only forward walking (high forward); and low-intensity stepping in variable contexts (low variable).<\/p>\n
Based on 90 patients completing >10 sessions, the researchers found that all walking gains were significantly greater for either high-intensity group versus low-variable training. For all walking outcomes, 57 to 80 percent of participants in the high-intensity groups had important clinical gains versus 9 to 31 percent of low-intensity training participants. There were significant correlations between stepping amount and rate. With high-intensity training, additional gains were noted in spatiotemporal symmetry. Balance confidence increased only with high-variable training in individuals with severe impairments.<\/p>\n
“We found that when stroke patients are pushed harder, they see greater changes in less time, which translates into more efficient rehabilitation services and improved mobility,” Hornby said in a statement.<\/p>\n