Effects of stair task training on walking ability in stroke patients.
Yong-Kyu Choi, Kyoung Kim, Jin-Uk Choi
PMID 28265147WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke patients who did stair task training for six weeks changed swing phase time more than controls, while stance phase time did not clearly differ.
Stair task training may guide PT mobility.
Key findings
01In the stair training group, stance phase duration changed from 1.48 ± 1.21 seconds to 1.61 ± 1.17 seconds, and swing phase duration changed from 0.49 ± 0.14 seconds to 0.41 ± 0.11 seconds, with both within-group changes reported as significant.
02The control group showed no significant within-group change in stance phase duration (1.89 ± 1.40 seconds to 1.90 ± 1.33 seconds) or swing phase duration (0.44 ± 0.12 seconds to 0.44 ± 0.12 seconds).
03The between-group comparison reported a significant difference in swing phase duration change, with -0.08 ± 0.10 seconds for the stair group and -0.00 ± 0.02 seconds for the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The analysed sample was small, 36 patients, and came from one hospital, so results may not apply to all stroke patients. The methods first say 40 patients were selected, then say 36 were selected and divided into groups, so the final analysed number is unclear. Training lasted only six weeks, so long-term effects are unknown. The paper says effects of factors other than those measured cannot be excluded, so concurrent treatment or other influences may have affected the result. No blinding of participants, therapists, or assessors is described, and dropout handling is not reported.
Declared interests
No funding or conflicts of interest declaration is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that stair task training improves all walking measures. The between-group result was for swing phase duration change, not stance phase duration, and the study included 36 patients for six weeks.