NCT01818349

Impact of Training on Gait and Strength in Stroke Survivors

Gait Performance and Lower-limb Muscle Strength Improved in Both Upper-limb and Lower-limb Isokinetic Training Programs in Individuals With Chronic Stroke

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: Université de Montréal · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Background: A discrepancy between strength gain and gait changes following various training programs aimed at improving gait function after stroke has been noted. A mismatch between the training program and gait parameters could explain this finding. Objective: To evaluate the impact of an isokinetic-strengthening program, matching the requirements of the affected lower-limb muscle groups involved in the energy generation of gait, to a control intervention, on gait performance and muscle strength. Hypothesis: The isokinetic training program of the affected lower-limb muscles would produce greater changes in gait performance and strength than a control intervention not aiming at training these muscle groups. Design: Single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Participants: A convenient sample of 30 individuals with chronic hemiparesis. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned into two groups (n=15), each training three times/week for six weeks. The experimental group trained the affected plantarflexors, hip flexors and extensors concentrically, while the control group trained the affected upper-limb muscles. Main outcome measures: Baseline values and post-training values, taken at the end of the training program, of maximal voluntary concentric strength, gait speed and peak positive power.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	isokinetic lower-limb training	concentric training of the affected plantarflexors, hip flexors and hip extensors
OTHER	isokinetic upper-limb training	concentric training of the affected wrist extensors, elbow flexors and shoulder flexors

Timeline

• Start date: 2002-03-01
• Primary completion: 2005-12-01
• Completion: 2007-12-01
• First posted: 2013-03-26
• Last updated: 2013-03-26

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada