Functional Gait Changes in Patients with Chronic Lower Extremity Hemiplegia Treated with a Technology to Induce Movement (TIM)-Type System

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in gait and ankle motor performance in a group of patients with chronic lower extremity hemiplegia associated with treatment using a surface electromyography (SEMG)-based technology to induce movement (TIM)-type system. Participants: Thirteen adult (average age, 44.8 years) volunteer participants with chronic lower extremity hemiplegia (average, 9.2 years) participated in this study. Method: A single cohort, repeated measure design was used with each participant assessed initially and after a 6-week intervention of twice weekly SEMG-TIM-type treatments. Patients were assessed by measures of functional gait (free walking velocity and the Tinetti test of gait and balance) and by measures of ankle motor performance (number of standing heel lifts, standing toe lifts, or seated toe taps performed in 1 minute). Results: Patients with chronic lower extremity hemiplegia demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (p < .05) in all measures of functional gait and ankle motor performance. Discussion and Conclusion: Patients with chronic lower extremity hemiplegia demonstrated improvement in measures of functional gait and ankle motor performance after treatment with an SEMG-based TIM-type system. This study should be replicated in randomized controlled, larger, and multicentered clinical studies.

Keywords:

• chronic hemiplegia
• functional changes
• gait changes
• SEMG-TIM-type system
• technology to induce movement (TIM) system