title: A comparison of regular rehabilitation and regular rehabilitation with supported treadmill ambulation training for acute stroke patients.
abstract: The purpose of this pilot study was to compare differences in motor recovery between regular rehabilitation (REG), and regular rehabilitation with supported treadmill ambulation training (STAT) using the performance on a bicycle exercise test and the locomotor scale of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-L). Twelve patients with acute strokes were randomly assigned to either REG or STAT for 2 to 3 weeks. The STAT group received daily gait training utilizing a treadmill with partial support of body weight. After intervention, the STAT group had higher oxygen consumption (11.34+/-0.88 vs 8.32+/-0.88 ml/kg/min, p=0.039), total workload (58.75+/-7.09 vs 45.42+/-7.09 watts, p=ns), and total time pedaling the bike (288.91+/-30.61 vs 211.42+/-30.61 s, p=ns) compared to the REG group. The FIM-L scores were not different for the two groups. This pilot study suggests that the STAT intervention is a promising technique for acute stroke rehabilitation, and that future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to establish the effectiveness of this intervention.
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Houston 77030-2897, USA. cunha@wt.net
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Teixeira da Cunha Filho
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qureshy
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Henson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monga
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Protas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome