Gait deficits are very common after stroke and improved therapeutic interventions are needed. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the therapeutic use of nociceptive withdrawal reflexes to support gait training in the subacute post-stroke phase.
Methods:
Individuals were randomly allocated to a treatment group that received physiotherapy-based gait training supported by withdrawal reflex stimulation and a control group that received physiotherapy-based gait training alone.
Electrical stimuli delivered to the arch of the foot elicited the withdrawal reflex at heel-off with the purpose of facilitating the initiation and execution of the swing phase. Gait was assessed before and immediately after finishing treatment, and one month and six months after finishing treatment.
Assessments included the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) test, the preferred and maximum gait velocities, the duration of the stance phase in the hemiparetic side, the duration of the gait cycle, and the stance time symmetry ratio.
Results:
The treatment group showed an improved post treatment preferred walking velocity (p
The stance time symmetry ratio was significantly better for the treatment than the control group after finishing training (p
Conclusion:
Withdrawal reflex-based functional electrical therapy was useful in the rehabilitation of the hemiparetic gait of severely impaired patients.
Author: Erika Geraldina SpaichNiels SvaneborgHelle Rovsing JørgensenOle Kæseler Andersen
Credits/Source: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2014, 11:81
Published on: 2014-05-07
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