earticle

영어

Asymmetrical walking pattern is a major issue that impedes functional recovery in the clinical setting. It results from the loss of the ability to maintain dynamic trunk stability and body weight balance. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a treadmill training performed under postural alignment corrected on a 3-D plane in people with chronic stroke. Four patients with chronic hemiparesis volunteered to participate in the study. The postural correction procedures were performed by a postural analysis system based on information obtained from a force plate with visual feedback. Then, all the subjects underwent the treadmill training with postural correction. The training was performed an hour, three times weekly for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included the 10-m walk test(10MWT), 6-min walk test(6MWT), walking ability questionnaire(WAQ), and activity-specific balance confidence scale(ABC), and gait parameters assessed by using the gait analysis system, with pretest and posttest measurements. The 10MWT, 6MWT, WAQ, and ABC scores improved by 38.30%(from 0.32 to 0.45 m/s), 59.55%(from 66.75 to 106.50 m), 17.50%(from 20.00 to 23.50 scores), and 24.49%(from 26.80% to 33.36%), respectively. In addition, remarkable improvements in step length(from 27.75 to 32.61 cm), stride length(from 52.01 to 60.31 cm), stance phase(from 61.75% to 62.00%), and swing phase(from 38.50% to 38.25%) were found on the affected side. These results indicate that the treadmill training performed under the correction of postural alignment may be favorably used to improve the walking ability in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis.