• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.133-140
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study compares the effects of treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback and general treadmill gait training on the gait and balance ability of patients with chronic stroke. Methods: A total of 11 patients with chronic stroke were randomly divided into either the treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback group (six patients) or the general treadmill gait training group (five patients). The gait and balance ability of the two groups were measured before and after the interventions using the functional reach test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Berg's balance test, and the Biodex balance test. The treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback group performed the exercise under the supervision of a therapist after first being provided with a hat and a goal that was devised for the purpose of providing visual feedback information. The interventions were applied to the respective groups for four weeks. For the statistical analysis, we conducted a Mann-Whitney test to compare the results between the two groups. Additionally, the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the results from before and after the intervention in each group. Results: The treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback group showed a significant difference in terms of the functional reach test after the intervention when compared to the general treadmill gait training group (p<0.05). Although there was no significant difference, the treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback group showed a larger improvement in the TUG test, Berg's balance test, and the Biodex balance test than the general treadmill gait training group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that treadmill gait training accompanied by visual feedback can be used as a beneficial intervention scheme for the recovery of the gait and balance ability of patients with chronic stroke.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.708-713
• /
• 2014

The aim of this research was to investigate how the effects of body supported treadmill training with visual feedback affect the gait factors of stroke patients. Thirty subjects (21 male, 9 female) with a diagnosis of stroke were taken to the hospital to participate in this study. The subjects received body supported treadmill training with visual feedback. The training was executed for 6 minutes, 3 times a day per week for 19 weeks after general exercise. The effects of the visual feedback in the body supported treadmill training were evaluated by measuring the average gait cycle and the average step length of the affected and unaffected. The collected data were statistically analyzed by using a paired t-test. The results of this study were a significant improvement of the average gait cycle and no statistically significant difference of the average step length. The gait cycle average had a statistically significant difference in gender, age, etiology, paretic side, and step length average. There was no statistically significant difference in infarction within etiology. Therefore, it was necessary to apply the easy and simple with the treadmill training in the rehabilitation of the stroke patients. This study will require a variety of outcome measures related to the effects of treadmill training with gait factors.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2018

Background: Stroke patients show abnormal walking patterns due to brain injury. In order to have the desired walking pattern, appropriate stimulation is required to activate the central pattern generator. For this reason, our study performed treadmill ambulatory training with rhythmic auditory stimulation. However we did not consider the influence of visual feedback. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the gait abilities in chronic stroke patients following either treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation and visual feedback (TRASVF) or treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation (TRAS) alone. Methods: Twenty-one stroke patients were divided into two groups: A TRASVF group (10 subjects) and a TRAS group (11 subjects). They received 30 minutes of neuro-developmental therapy (NDT) and walking training for 30 minutes, five times a week for three weeks. Temporal and spatial gait parameters were measured before and after the training period. The Biodex gait trainer treadmill system measured gait parameters. Results: After the training periods, the TRASVF group showed a significant improvement in walking speed, the step length of the affected limb, and time on each foot of the affected limb when compared to the TRAS group (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation and visual feedback improved individual gait ability more than the treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation alone. Therefore, visual feedback should be considered along with rhythmic auditory stimulation training.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.247-253
• /
• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of real-time visual feedback gait training on gait stability in older adults. Method: Twelve older adults participated in this study, being divided into 2 groups including a) visual feedback (VF) and b) non-visual feedback (NVF) groups. For 4 weeks, VF performed a treadmill walking training with real-time visual feedback about their postural information while NVF performed a normal treadmill walking training. For evaluations of gait stability, kinematic data of 15-minute treadmill walking were collected from depth-based motion capture system (30 Hz, exbody, Korea). Given that step lengths in both right and left sides were determined based on kinematic data, three variables including step difference, coefficient of variation, approximate entropy were calculated to evaluate gait symmetry, variability and complexity, respectively. Results: For research findings, VF exhibited significant improvements in gait stability after 4-week training in comparison to NVF, particularly in gait symmetry and complexity measures. However, greater improvement in gait variability was observed in NVF than VF. Conclusion: Given that visual feedback walking gives potential effectiveness on gait stability in older adults, gait training with visual feedback may be a robust therapeutic intervention in people with gait disturbances like instability or falls.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.363-373
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to improve the gait ability and quality of life of stroke patients by combining virtual reality technology and a visual feedback gait training program with entertainment elements. Ten stroke patients with circumduction gait were selected. The visual feedback treadmill gait training program using virtual reality technology and a force plate measurement system was conducted 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, with 25 sessions in 5 weeks. To investigate the effects of this gait training program, evaluations using the joint range-of-motion test, muscle activity tests, Berg balance scale (BBS), gait analysis, and stroke-specific quality-of-life scale (SS-QOL) were performed before and after intervention. Statistically significant differences were found in the joint range of motion and muscle activity of the affected side from the initial swing phase to the mid-swing phase of the gait cycle, dynamic balance, gait function, and quality of life (p <0.05). The results of this study indicate that the gait training program improved the foot drop, muscle activity, dynamic balance, and gait ability of stroke patients with circumduction gait, thereby improving the quality of life of the patients. Therefore, we recommend the application of the visual feedback treadmill gait training program using virtual reality technology and a force plate measurement system to improve gait ability and quality of life of stroke patients with circumduction gait.