Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether higher-intensity treadmill walking during
rehabilitation in those newly able to walk after stroke is feasible, is
detrimental to walking or is beneficial. DESIGN:
A single-blind, randomized
trial. SETTING: Two rehabilitation units. PARTICIPANTS:
Thirty people with first
stroke. INTERVENTIONS: Experimental group received 30 minutes of higher-intensity
treadmill walking, three times per week for six weeks, in addition to usual
physiotherapy. Control group received usual physiotherapy only. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: Feasibility was measured by examining compliance and adverse events.
Detriment to walking was measured by examining pattern and quality. Benefit to
walking was measured as capacity using six-minute walk test and speed, at
baseline (Week 0), immediately after (Week 6) and at three months (Week 18).
RESULTS: Overall compliance was 89%, with no adverse events reported. There was
no between-group difference in walking pattern and quality. By Week 6, the
experimental group improved walking capacity by 62 m (95% confidence interval
(CI) 10 to 114), comfortable walking speed by 0.18 m/s (95% CI 0.07 to 0.29) and
fast walking speed by 0.18 m/s (95% CI 0.03 to 0.35) more than the control group.
By Week 18, the experimental group was still walking 0.26 m/s (95% CI 0.12 to
0.41) faster than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Higher-intensity treadmill
walking during rehabilitation after stroke is feasible and not detrimental to
walking pattern and quality in those newly able to walk. 94 participants are
required to detect a between-group difference of 75 m on six-minute walk test
(alpha 0.05, beta 0.90) in future trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ACTRN12607000412437.

Langue : ANGLAIS