title: Motor imagery practice in gait rehabilitation of chronic post-stroke hemiparesis: four case studies.
abstract: The aim of this series of pilot case studies was to examine the feasibility of enhancing the walking of individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis through the imagery practice of gait activities at home. Four persons with chronic hemiparesis received imagery gait practice, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. The intervention addressed gait impairments of the affected lower limb and task-specific gait training. Pre-intervention, mid-term, post-intervention and follow-up evaluations were performed. At 6 weeks from the beginning of treatment, the participants increased walking speed, stride length, cadence and single-support time on the affected lower limb, while decreasing double-support time. The findings appear to justify the institution of a larger-scale study in order to better delineate the contribution of motor imagery practice to gait performance in individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dunsky
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.forename: Claudet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ariav
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcovitz
mesh_terms: D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D016138:Walking