The Effect of Walking Backward on a Treadmill on Balance, Speed of Walking and Cardiopulmonary Fitness for Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effect of walking backward on a treadmill on balance, walking speed, and cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with chronic stroke.
Results Summary
The study found that the experimental group, which received additional backward treadmill walking, showed improvements in functional balance, walking ability, and cardiopulmonary fitness compared to the control group. These outcomes were measured using standardized tests like the Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and 6-Minute Walk Test.
Population
Patients with chronic stroke (more than six months post-stroke), Brunnstrom stage > IV, able to walk at least 11 meters with or without assistive devices.
Effective Dosage
30 minutes of traditional physical therapy three times a week, plus an additional 30 minutes of backward treadmill walking for the experimental group.
Duration
4 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
walking backward on a treadmill | neutral | balance | patients with chronic stroke | - | determines the effect | #1 |
walking backward on a treadmill | neutral | speed of walking | patients with chronic stroke | - | determines the effect | #2 |
walking backward on a treadmill | neutral | cardiopulmonary fitness | patients with chronic stroke | - | determines the effect | #3 |
This study determines the effect of walking backward on a treadmill on balance, speed of walking and cardiopulmonary fitness for patients with chronic stroke. Subjects with chronic stroke for more than six months, whose level of Brunnstrom stage is greater than IV and who are able to walk more than eleven meters with or without assistive devices were recruited. After grouping for a single-blind clinical randomized controlled trial, the subjects were divided into two groups: eight in the control group and eight in the experimental group. All subjects were subjected to 30 min traditional physical therapy, three times a week for four weeks. The experimental group was subjected to an additional 30 min of walking backward on a treadmill. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) were used to determine the functional balance and walking ability. The walking speed was evaluated using a timed 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and the cardiopulmonary fitness was determined using a 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and a pulmonary function test (PFT). All assessments were made at baseline before training commenced (pre-training) and at the end of the four-week training period (post-training). A paired