title: Monitoring Step Activity During Task-Oriented Circuit Training in High-Functioning Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Proof-of-Concept Feasibility Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the amount of practice and progression during task-oriented circuit training (TOCT) in chronic stroke survivors; to test the use of pedometers and observation-based measures in detecting step activity; to verify the possible correlation between step activity and locomotor function improvements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six community-dwelling chronic stroke survivors underwent 10 TOCT sessions (2 hours/each) over 2 weeks in which they were trained both on a treadmill and on six task-oriented workstations (W1-W6). During the sessions, they wore a piezoelectric pedometer and step activities were recorded. Outcome measures were as follows: % of activities during which pedometers worked properly; pedometer-based measures (total step counts, treadmill steps, workstation steps-total and W2,W3,W5,W6); observation-based measures (number of repetitions in task W1 and W4); walking speed changes measured by the 10-m walking test (10MWT) and walking endurance changes (6-minute walking test) after TOCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During TOCT sessions (n=57), activities were recorded through pedometer-based measures in 4 out of the 6 patients. The total amount of step activity was 5,980.05±1,968.39 steps (54.29% in task-oriented workstations, 37.67% on treadmill, and 8.03% during breaks). Exercise progression was highlighted significantly by observational measures (W1, W4). A positive correlation was observed between increased gait speed and observational stair step repetitions progression (W1) (r=0.91, p=0.01) or pedometer-based tandem exercise step progression (W3) (r=0.98, p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TOCT can be considered a high-intensity, progressive intervention to restore locomotor function in chronic stroke survivors. Pedometer-based measures might help in quantifying TOCT's volume of practice; however, further investigations are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.; Doctoral Program in Advanced Sciences and Technologies in Rehabilitation Medicine and Sports, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2061-9922
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Straudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6587-7098
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinuzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8681-3090
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2623-8506
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Program in Advanced Sciences and Technologies in Rehabilitation Medicine and Sports, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2246-348X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2249-2838
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabbagh Charabati
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0997-8051
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pavarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Nino
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6726-0315
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basaglia
keywords: Gait; Rehabilitation; Stroke