Gait adaptation during split-belt treadmill walking in post stroke patients

Abstract

Split-belt treadmill walking has been recently used as a tool not only to investigate the process of adaptation during walking but also to improve gait asymmetry in patients post stroke. Previous study used remarkably larger speed ratio more than 1:2, we here use very mild extent of speed ratio about 1:1.2. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the effect of split-belt walking on gait asymmetry in stroke patients. In order to determine the extent of speed ratio, we firstly determined the detection threshold when the subject can perceive the changed speed ratio during gradual increment/decrement of each belt speed. Subjects were administrated on two split-belt treadmill walking; (1) affected leg fast and (2) affected leg slow. Results show that the detection threshold is approximately 1:1.2. Stance time symmetry gradually changed to symmetry in affected leg fast. Step length symmetry gradually changed to symmetry in affected leg fast.