The use of a treadmill with biofeedback function in assessment of relearning walking skills in post-stroke hemiplegic patients--a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: One of the most important goals of rehabilitation of post-stroke hemiplegic patients is the recovery of their locomotion function. The aim of the study was to assess walking function recovery by means of in-patient rehabilitation procedures, as well as the effectiveness of treadmill gait training with the use of biological feedback.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research involved groups of chronic post-stroke hemiplegic patients receiving treatment in the rehabilitation ward. Factors under scrutiny included walking speed and capacity, number of steps, weight bearing symmetry for lower extremities while standing, lower limb mobility on the Brunnström scale, and muscle tone on the Ashworth Scale. The study group patients followed a rehabilitation regime that included treadmill training aided with biofeedback function. Each study group participant exercised every day (a total of 15 times), with a single practice time ranging from 5 to 20 minutes. Control patients followed a rehabilitation regime without the additional treadmill exercises.

RESULTS: Patients in both groups demonstrated improvement in locomotion abilities. In the group following the physiotherapy regime supplemented with treadmill training with the use of biofeedback, the measures of walking speed, weight bearing symmetry for lower extremities, and number of steps were better than in controls.

CONCLUSIONS: Treadmill gait training with the use of biofeedback is effective for relearning locomotion functions in post-stroke hemiplegic patients and can constitute a significant type of exercise in a physiotherapy regime.