PurposeLocomotor high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a promising intervention for stroke rehabilitation. However, overground translation of treadmill speed gains has been somewhat limited, some important outcomes have not been tested and baseline response predictors are poorly understood. This pilot study aimed to guide future research by assessing preliminary outcomes of combined overground and treadmill HIIT.Materials and MethodsTen participants >6 months post-stroke were assessed before and after a 4-week no-intervention control phase and a 4-week treatment phase involving 12 sessions of overground and treadmill HIIT.ResultsOverground and treadmill gait function both improved during the treatment phase relative to the control phase, with overground speed changes averaging 61% of treadmill speed changes (95% CI: 33–89%). Moderate or larger effect sizes were observed for measures of gait performance, balance, fitness, cognition, fatigue, perceived change and brain volume. Participants with baseline comfortable gait speed <0.4 m/s had less absolute improvement in walking capacity but similar proportional and perceived changes.ConclusionsThese findings reinforce the potential of locomotor HIIT research for stroke rehabilitation and provide guidance for more definitive studies. Based on the current results, future locomotor HIIT studies should consider including: (1) both overground and treadmill training; (2) measures of cognition, fatigue and brain volume, to complement typical motor and fitness assessment; and (3) baseline gait speed as a covariate.

Background and Objectives: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a promising strategy for improving gait and fitness after stroke, but optimal parameters remain unknown. We tested the effects of short vs long interval type and over-ground vs treadmill mode on training intensity.Methods: Using a repeated measures design, 10 participants with chronic hemiparetic gait performed 12 HIIT sessions over 4 weeks, alternating between short and long-interval HIIT sessions. Both protocols included 10 minutes of over-ground HIIT, then 20 minutes of treadmill HIIT and another 10 minutes over-ground. Short-interval HIIT involved 30 second bursts at maximum safe speed and 30-60 second rest periods. Long-interval HIIT involved 4-minute bursts at ~90% of peak heart rate (HR peak ) and 3-minute recovery periods at ~70% HR peak .Results: Compared with long-interval HIIT, short-interval HIIT had significantly faster mean overground speeds (0.75 vs 0.67 m/s) and treadmill speeds (0.90 vs 0.51 m/s), with similar mean treadmill HR (82.9 vs 81.8 %HR peak ) and session perceived exertion (16.3 vs 16.3), but lower

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Introduction: Locomotor high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a promising intervention for stroke rehabilitation that typically involves bursts of fast treadmill walking alternated with recovery periods. However, overground translation of treadmill speed gains has been somewhat limited, some important outcomes have not been tested and baseline response predictors are poorly understood. This pilot study aimed to guide future research by assessing preliminary outcomes of combined overground and treadmill HIIT. Methods: Ten participants >6 months post stroke completed a multi-domain assessment battery before and after a 4-week no-intervention control phase, then again after a 4-week treatment phase involving 12 sessions of overground and treadmill HIIT. The primary analyses assessed relative changes in overground and treadmill walking speeds after HIIT, evaluated responsiveness of different outcome measures and estimated effects of baseline gait speed on treatment response. Results: Overground and treadmill gait function both improved during the treatment phase relative to the control phase, with overground speed changes averaging 61% of treadmill speed changes (95% CI: 33-89%). Moderate or larger effect sizes were observed for measures of gait performance, balance, fitness, cognition, fatigue, perceived change and brain volume. Participants with baseline comfortable gait speed <0.4 m/s had less absolute improvement in walking capacity but similar proportional and perceived changes. Discussion: Future locomotor HIIT studies should consider including: 1) both overground and treadmill training; 2) measures of cognition, fatigue and brain volume, to complement typical motor & fitness assessment; and 3) baseline gait speed as a covariate.

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