title: Gait analysis following treadmill training with body weight support versus conventional physical therapy: a prospective randomized controlled single blind study.
abstract: METHODS
  Single-blind randomized, controlled clinical study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, using kinematic gait analysis, the results obtained from gait training on a treadmill with body weight support versus those obtained with conventional gait training and physiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with sequelae from traumatic incomplete spinal cord injuries at least 12 months earlier; patients were able to walk and were classified according to motor function as ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) impairment scale C or D.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided randomly into two groups of 15 patients by the drawing of opaque envelopes: group A (weight support) and group B (conventional). After an initial assessment, both groups underwent 30 sessions of gait training. Sessions occurred twice a week, lasted for 30 min each and continued for four months. All of the patients were evaluated by a single blinded examiner using movement analysis to measure angular and linear kinematic gait parameters. Six patients (three from group A and three from group B) were excluded because they attended fewer than 85% of the training sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences in intra-group comparisons among the spatial-temporal variables in group B. In group A, the following significant differences in the studied spatial-temporal variables were observed: increases in velocity, distance, cadence, step length, swing phase and gait cycle duration, in addition to a reduction in stance phase. There were also no significant differences in intra-group comparisons among the angular variables in group B. However, group A achieved significant improvements in maximum hip extension and plantar flexion during stance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gait training with body weight support was more effective than conventional physiotherapy for improving the spatial-temporal and kinematic gait parameters among patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Faculdade de Medicida da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lucareli
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: F P S
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Brech
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: D'Andréa Greve
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult