SymbolVirtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmill training improved lower limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction
- Xiao, Xiang
- Mao, Yu-rong
- Zhao, Jiang-li
- Li, Le
- Xu, Guang-qing
- Huang, Dong-feng
(1 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shenzhen Fifth People's Hospital (Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital), Shenzhen 518001, Guangdong Province, China)
Xiao Xiang, M.D., Attending physician, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shenzhen Fifth People's Hospital (Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital), Shenzhen 518001, Guangdong Province, China
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Corresponding author: Huang Dong-feng, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China
Accepted: 2013-12-04
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Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Most stroke patients affected walking dysfunction. Virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmill training has been proposed as a strategy for gait training of cerebral infarction subjects.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmill training on lower limb motor function in subacute cerebral infarction patients.
METHODS:
Twenty cerebral infarction patients (within 3 months of onset) were randomly divided into experiment group (virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmill training) and control group (conventional physiotherapy). Three-dimensional gait analysis in lower limb motor function was carried out before and after 3-week gait training. Intergroup and intragroup comparisons in the following parameters were done before and after training: walking speed, cadence, step time, single limb support time (%), double limb support time (%), nonparetic swing (%), step length, pace, range of motion in the lower limb, functional ambulation category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the lower limbs and Brunel Balance Assessment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
No significant differences in patient's gender, age, course of disease, affected. side, walking speed, functional ambulation category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the lower limbs and Brunel Balance Assessment were detected between the two groups before training (P > 0.05). Fugl-Meyer Assessment and functional ambulation category were improved in patients of the two groups after training (P < 0.05). The improvement in walking speed, cadence, step time in affected side, step time in healthy side, single limb support time in affected side (%), nonparetic swing (%), pace, step lengths in affected and healthy sides were better in the experimental group than those in the control group.
Funding: the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30973165
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