Predicative factors of the effect of Body Weight Support Treadmill Training in stroke hemiparesis patients.
Hikaru Mori, Makoto Tamari
PMID 32982047WHAT IT FOUND
Body weight support treadmill training did not show an immediate improvement in gait measures in 21 stroke patients.
A pre-training measure of leg support symmetry was linked to more improvement in symmetry, so it may help choose patients.
Key findings
01No significant change was observed in any gait index after body weight support treadmill training.
02The single leg stance ratio before training was the only gait index positively associated with further improvement in symmetry after training.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 21 patients were studied, and all could already walk independently on level ground, so the findings do not tell PTs what to expect in patients who cannot walk independently or are more severely affected. The study measured immediate effects only and did not assess long-term effects. The sample size and variation in stroke and demographic characteristics prevented identification of a cutoff value for the symmetry index. The effect of canes and orthotics on the symmetry index was not assessed. Patients with higher brain and cognitive impairments were excluded.
Declared interests
The authors reported no funding sources and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that BWSTT improved gait in this study. No gait index showed a significant change after training, and the predictor result was an association found in 21 patients.