title: Effects of 12-week supervised treadmill training on spatio-temporal gait parameters in patients with claudication.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to evaluate selected temporal and spatial gait parameters in patients with intermittent claudication after completion of 12-week supervised treadmill walking training. The study included 36 patients (26 males and 10 females) aged: mean 64 (SD 7.7) with intermittent claudication. All patients were tested on treadmill (Gait Trainer, Biodex). Before the programme and after its completion, the following gait biomechanical parameters were tested: step length (cm), step cycle (cycle/s), leg support time (%), coefficient of step variation (%) as well as pain-free walking time (PFWT) and maximal walking time (MWT) were measured. Training was conducted in accordance with the current TASC II guidelines. After 12 weeks of training, patients showed significant change in gait biomechanics consisting in decreased frequency of step cycle (p < 0.05) and extended step length (p < 0.05). PFWT increased by 96% (p < 0.05). MWT increased by 100% (p < 0.05). After completing the training, patients' gait was more regular, which was expressed via statistically significant decrease of coefficient of variation (p < 0.05) for both legs. No statistically significant relation between the post-training improvement of PFWT and MWT and step length increase and decreased frequency of step cycle was observed (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Twelve-week treadmill walking training programme may lead to significant improvement of temporal and spatial gait parameters in patients with intermittent claudication. Twelve-week treadmill walking training programme may lead to significant improvement of pain-free walking time and maximum walking time in patients with intermittent claudication.
authors: a Department of Clinical Rehabilitation , University School of Physical Education , Cracow , Poland .|b Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education in Gorzow Wielkopolski , University School of Physical Education in Poznan , Poland .
authors: Anita
authors: A
authors: Konik
authors: a Department of Clinical Rehabilitation , University School of Physical Education , Cracow , Poland .
authors: Stanisław
authors: S
authors: Kuklewicz
authors: a Department of Clinical Rehabilitation , University School of Physical Education , Cracow , Poland .
authors: Ewelina
authors: E
authors: Rosłoniec
authors: a Department of Clinical Rehabilitation , University School of Physical Education , Cracow , Poland .
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Zając
authors: c Department of Vascular Insufficiency , Collegium Medicum of Jagiellonian University , Cracow , Poland , and.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Spannbauer
authors: d Faculty of Health Sciences , Institute of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Jagiellonian University , Cracow , Poland.
authors: Roman
authors: R
authors: Nowobilski
authors: a Department of Clinical Rehabilitation , University School of Physical Education , Cracow , Poland .
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Mika
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011044:Poland
keywords: Atherosclerosis; claudication; gait; treadmill training