title: Changes in lower limb muscle activity after walking on a split-belt treadmill in individuals post-stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is growing evidence that stroke survivors can adapt and improve step length symmetry in the context of split-belt treadmill (SBT) walking. However, less knowledge exists about the strategies involved for such adaptations. This study analyzed lower limb muscle activity in individuals post-stroke related to SBT-induced changes in step length.
  
  
  METHODS
  Step length and surface EMG activity of six lower limb muscles were evaluated in individuals post-stroke (n=16) during (adaptation) and after (after-effects) walking at unequal belt speeds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During adaptation, significant increases in EMG activity were mainly found in proximal muscles (p⩽0.023), whereas after-effects were observed particularly in the distal muscles. The plantarflexor EMG increased after walking on the slow belt (p⩽0.023) and the dorsiflexors predominantly after walking on the fast belt (p⩽0.017) for both, non-paretic and paretic-fast conditions. Correlation analysis revealed that after-effects in step length were mainly associated with changes in distal paretic muscle activity (0.522⩽r⩽0.663) but not with functional deficits. Based on our results, SBT walking could be relevant for training individuals post-stroke who present shorter paretic step length combined with dorsiflexor weakness, or individuals with shorter nonparetic step length and plantarflexor weakness.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation (CRIR), Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal (IRGLM) du CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada; École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betschart
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation (CRIR), Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal (IRGLM) du CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada; École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Séléna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauzière
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation (CRIR), Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal (IRGLM) du CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada; École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miéville
authors.affiliation: Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, Canada; Département de réadaptation, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Bradford J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: McFadyen
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation (CRIR), Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal (IRGLM) du CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada; École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: sylvie.nadeau@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadeau
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004576:Electromyography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking
keywords: After-effects; Muscle activity; Split-belt treadmill; Stroke