Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Gait training of patients after stroke using an electromechanical gait trainer combined with simultaneous functional electrical stimulation.

Tong RK, Ng MF, Li LS, So EF

Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. k.y.tong@polyu.edu.hk

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This case report describes the implementation of gait training intervention that used an electromechanical gait trainer with simultaneous functional electrical stimulation (FES) for 2 patients with acute ischemic stroke. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two individuals with post-stroke hemiplegia of less than 6 weeks' duration participated in a 4-week gait training program as an adjunct to physical therapy received at a hospital. After the 4-week intervention, both patients were discharged from the hospital, and they returned after 6 months for a follow-up evaluation. OUTCOMES: By the end of the 4-week intervention, both patients had shown improvements in scores on the Barthel Index, Berg Balance Scale, Functional Ambulation Categories Scale, 5-m timed walking test, and Motricity Index. In the 6-month follow-up evaluation, both patients continued to have improvements in all outcome measures. DISCUSSION: This case report shows that, following the use of an electromechanical gait trainer simultaneously with FES, patients after acute stroke had improvements in gait performance, functional activities, balance, and motor control in the long term.

Published 8 September 2006 in Phys Ther, 86(9): 1282-94.
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