Functional resources to increase gait speed in people with stroke: Strategies adopted compared to healthy controls

Gait characteristics, balance performance and falls in ambulant adults with cerebral palsy: An observational study

“…Effortful gait strategies may contribute to experienced fatigue. Considerable individual variation in muscle activation strategies to modulate gait speed has been described in patients with stroke [27], and in a cohort of ambulant adults with CP [15]. This warrants further exploration in this population.…”

“…A selected gait pattern at any preferred speed typically reflects strategies to optimise energy expenditure, balance, between-step variability, and attentional demand [26]. Higher than anticipated cadence and shorter stride lengths at low gait speeds have previously been described in hemiparetic patients following stroke [27] and in those with Parkinsons' disease [28]. It is possible that the relatively higher cadence proportional to stride length is a strategy to accommodate spasticity and/or contracture-induced restrictions in stride length in ambulant adults with CP, whilst concurrently keeping walking speed acceptable.…”

Effects of Treadmill Inclination on Hemiparetic Gait

“…24 In this respect, walking speed is considered an important indicator of independence, 23,24 locomotor skill, 25 degree of motor recovery, 26 and quality of life 27 in subjects with hemiparesis. The importance of faster walking for stroke patients reinforces the need for training protocols that increase walking speed and gait training strategies that could leverage gait speed.…”

A multiple-task gait analysis approach: Kinematic, kinetic and EMG reference data for healthy young and adult subjects

“…Also noteworthy is stair negotiation, which implies larger amounts of energy to be produced (ascending) or dissipated (descending) proximally, and increased angular excursion and joint moment at hip and knee level [10,11]. Moreover, it is well documented that walking speed has noticeable effects on kinematics, kinetics and muscle recruitment [12,13] and gait at increased speed is able to highlight abnormal locomotor patterns [14].…”