Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training Versus Conventional Gait Training for People With Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVES: To compare body weight support treadmill training (BWSTT) to conventional overground gait training (COGT). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Residential rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty subjects with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). INTERVENTION: The BWSTT or COGT for 15 minutes plus 30 minutes of exercise 2 days per week, for 3 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), Functional Reach (FR), Timed Up and Go; gait velocity, step width (BOS) and step length differential using instrumented gait mat. RESULTS: Step width approached the norm without between-group differences. Step length differential improved significantly more for the COGT. CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapy can improve gait for patients more than 6 years post-TBI. The COGT is more effective than the BWSTT for improving gait symmetry during overground walking.