Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2018 Feb;32(2):201-212.
doi: 10.1177/0269215517720486. Epub 2017 Jul 21.

Treadmill training to improve mobility for people with sub-acute stroke: a phase II feasibility randomized controlled trial

Gillian D Baer  1 , Lisa G Salisbury  1 , Mark T Smith  2 , Jane Pitman  2 , Martin Dennis  3
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Treadmill training to improve mobility for people with sub-acute stroke: a phase II feasibility randomized controlled trial

Gillian D Baer et al. Clin Rehabil. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: This phase II study investigated the feasibility and potential effectiveness of treadmill training versus normal gait re-education for ambulant and non-ambulant people with sub-acute stroke delivered as part of normal clinical practice.

Design: A single-blind, feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Four hospital-based stroke units.

Subjects: Participants within three months of stroke onset.

Interventions: Participants were randomized to treadmill training (minimum twice weekly) plus normal gait re-education or normal gait re-education only (control) for up to eight weeks.

Main measures: Measures were taken at baseline, after eight weeks of intervention and at six-month follow-up. The primary outcome was the Rivermead Mobility Index. Other measures included the Functional Ambulation Category, 10-metre walk, 6-minute walk, Barthel Index, Motor Assessment Scale, Stroke Impact Scale and a measure of confidence in walking.

Results: In all, 77 patients were randomized, 39 to treadmill and 38 to control. It was feasible to deliver treadmill training to people with sub-acute stroke. Only two adverse events occurred. No statistically significant differences were found between groups. For example, Rivermead Mobility Index, median (interquartile range (IQR)): after eight weeks treadmill 5 (4-9), control 6 (4-11) p = 0.33; or six-month follow-up treadmill 8.5 (3-12), control 8 (6-12.5) p = 0.42. The frequency and intensity of intervention was low.

Conclusion: Treadmill training in sub-acute stroke patients was feasible but showed no significant difference in outcomes when compared to normal gait re-education. A large definitive randomized trial is now required to explore treadmill training in normal clinical practice.

Keywords: Gait; exercise; participation; physical therapy; rehabilitation; stroke; treadmill.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Consort diagram of participant recruitment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lord S, McPherson KM, McNaughton HK, et al. How feasible is the attainment of community ambulation after stroke? A pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate community-based physiotherapy in subacute stroke. Clin Rehab 2008; 22(3): 215–225. - PubMed
    1. Mehrholz J, Pohl M, Elsner B. Treadmill training and body weight support for walking after stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014; 1: CD002840. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wade DT, Wood VA, Heller A, et al. Walking after stroke. Measurement of recovery over the first three months. Scan J Rehab Med 1987; 19: 25–30. - PubMed
    1. Jørgensen HS, Nakayama H, Raaschou HO, et al. Recovery of walking function in stroke patients: the Copenhagen Stroke Study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1995; 76(1): 27–32. - PubMed
    1. Francheschini M, Carda S, Agosti M, et al. Walking after stroke: what does treadmill training with body weight support add to overground gait training in patients early after stroke? A single blind randomised controlled trial. Stroke 2009; 40(6): 3079–3085. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms