Relationship Between Stride Length and Walking Rate in Gait Training for Hemiparetic Stroke Patients1

Abstract

Sixty-three male hemiparetic patients in the recovery stage were examined to investigate the relationship between stride length and walking rate during computer-assisted gait training during a period of 4 wk. The maximum walking speed for 10 m was significantly increased from 32.3 to 53.2 m/min on average, and the stride length and walking rate also increased. However, the ratio of stride length to walking rate did not change significantly in 4 wk, with the mean value being 0.0068 m/steps/min, approximately one-half that of healthy adults based on data from previous reports. The ratio of stride length to walking rate for hemiplegic gait was invariant during the 4 wk of computer-assisted gait training, which is also true at different speeds for healthy adults. These results indicate that the maximum walking speed was significantly improved, with an invariant relationship between stride length and walking rate, and suggest that the ratio could be used as an index for gait training.

Footprint peak time and functional ambulation profile reflect the potential for hemiparetic gait recovery

“…The aim of the functionally oriented manual physical therapy, which the patients received, is in restoration of preferred walking velocity and gait symmetry; however, different degree of asymmetries in kinematic and kinetic variables of hemiparetic gait are commonly seen after rehabilitation [3]. These results confirm previous observations showing an improved preferred walking speed as a result of rehabilitation treatment [20][21][22]. A significant increase was found in the gait velocity with a decrease in footprint peak times on both sides (with the exception of the 1st and the 6th trapezoids of the external footprint), more pronounced on the NS.…”

Effect of walking speed changes on tibialis anterior EMG during healthy gait for FES envelope design in drop foot correction

“…Suzuki et al (1999) reported an increase in walking speed from of 0.54 m s À1 to 0.89 m s À1 after four weeks of gait retraining over short distances. Burridge et al (1997) reported improvements in walking speed from 0.62 m s À1 to 0.73 m s À1 after a rehabilitation period using FES and physiotherapy.…”

Walk ratio (step length/cadence) as a summary index of neuromotor control of gait

“…The WR has rarely been used as a measure in routine clinical practice. There are a few available studies on stroke, Parkinson's disease, and knee-joint replacement, showing that the WR is decreased and can increase after rehabilitation and/or surgery (Andriacchi et al, 1997;Murray et al, 1978;Suzuki et al, 1999). There seems to be only one published study examining multiple sclerosis (MS; Paltamaa et al, 2008).…”