Changes of gait parameters following constrained-weight shift training in patients with stroke.
Seok Hyun Nam, Sung Min Son, Kyoung Kim
PMID 28533608WHAT IT FOUND
A 10 mm shoe lift on the unaffected side forced weight onto the paretic leg.
This improved walking speed and step length more than standard care. The 5 mm lift did not show significant improvement over the control group.
Key findings
01The 10 mm lift group showed significantly greater improvement in walking speed and step length of the unaffected side compared to the control group.
02The 10 mm lift group showed significantly greater improvement in contact area and contact impulse of the hindfoot compared to the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not assess electromyography or kinematic data to explain the mechanism of change. Participants were able to stand independently without assistive devices, so results may not apply to more severely impaired patients. The control group performed ergometer exercises, which may not represent 'no intervention' or standard care in all settings. The study duration was only four weeks, so long-term effects are unknown.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume a 5 mm lift is effective. The study found that only the 10 mm lift group showed significant improvements in gait speed and step length compared to controls; the 5 mm group did not differ significantly from the control group.