title: Effects of gait rehabilitation with a footpad-type locomotion interface in patients with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We developed a footpad-type locomotion interface called the GaitMaster. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of gait rehabilitation using the GaitMaster in chronic stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized cross-over design.
  
  
  METHODS
  An outpatient department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In group A, patients underwent an 'intervention phase' followed by a 'non-intervention phase', whereas in group B, patients underwent the non-intervention phase first, followed by the intervention phase. In the four- or six-week intervention phase, participants underwent twelve 20-minute sessions of gait rehabilitation using the GaitMaster4.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured gait speed and timed up-and-go test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences between the two groups were observed in the baseline clinical data. For the combined groups A and B, the maximum gait and timed up-and-go test speeds improved significantly only in the intervention phase (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.003, respectively). The percentages of improvement from baseline at the end of GaitMaster training were 16.6% for the maximum gait speed and 8.3% for the timed up-and-go test. The effect size for GaitMaster4 training was 0.58 on the maximum gait speed and 0.43 on the timed up-and-go test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study showed that gait rehabilitation using the GaitMaster4 was a feasible training method for chronic stroke patients. Calculation of the sample size indicated that a sample size of 38 participants would be adequate to test a null hypothesis of nil benefit additional to routine rehabilitation for chronic stroke patients in a future randomized controlled trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science and Welfare, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saitou
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iizuka
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okuno
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamaoka
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanagi
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation