Effects of a short burst of gait training with body weight-supported treadmill training for a person with chronic stroke: A single-subject study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-burst dose of intense gait training with body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) on walking speed, endurance, and quality of life of a participant with chronic stroke. A single-subject experimental (A-B-A-A) design with immediate and 3-month retention phases was used. The participant was a 66-year-old woman, 1 year after left cerebrovascular accident. Repeated baseline walking performance was established during 2 weeks of testing using the comfortable 10-meter walk test (CWT) and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) was measured one time during baseline. Baseline testing was followed by ten 30-minute sessions of BWSTT over a 2-week duration. Retention testing was conducted immediately and 3 months following the intervention. Statistically significant improvements from baseline with the CWT and the 6MWT were achieved and maintained by the participant across all subsequent measurement phases. Improvements considered to be clinically meaningful changes in the SIS domains of strength and mobility achieved immediately after the intervention were not maintained at 3-month retention testing. For the participant in this study, the short-burst dosage of BWSTT provided a feasible and effective means for improving goal-oriented functional walking ability.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The following students participated in the data collection and analysis as part of their degree requirement for their entry-level DPT: Shannon Hitchcock, DPT, Sara Hoffman, DPT, Betsie Reed, DPT, Jayme Munday, DPT, Hayley Murray, DPT, Bridgette Love, DPT, Jodi Opitz, DPT, and Matthew Redshaw, DPT. We thank Donald Hoover, PT, PhD, CSCS and Sophia Burey, DPT, for assisting with data collection. We also thank our participant for her time and dedication to this project.

Declaration of Interest: Stephanie Combs has worked as a consultant for Mobility Research, the company that manufactures the body weight support unit used in this study.