Assessment of Postural Control and Gait in Late Post-Stroke Patients Subjected to Treadmill Training With Controlled Body Balance Perturbations. Pilot Study

Introduction One of the basic goals of post-stroke rehabilitation is the improvement of postural control and gait quality. Modern post-stroke rehabilitation implements treadmill training with controlled body balance perturbations (PBT). Aim This study aimed to assess the influence of the PBT treadmill training on activities of daily living (ADL), gait quality and postural control in people with chronic stroke. Methods Seventeen patients with stroke hospitalized in a rehabilitation centre were randomly allocated to 3-week PBT training. Functional independence was assessed using Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FMA). ADL were assessed using Barthel Scale. Static and dynamic postural control was assessed using Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up And Go Test (TUG) and Functional Reach Test (FRT). Static postural control was assessed using stabilometric platform tests (Alfa and Gamma, Ac International East, Poland). The 10-meter walk test was used to evaluate gait. Spatial, temporal gait parameters were also assessed using the MyoMotion (Noraxon, USA). Results A significant improvement was found in the patients’ motor functions (FMA; p = 0.01), independence in daily activities (Barthel Scale; p = 0.01), static and dynamic balance (BBS; p = 0.01). There was no statistically significant improvement in the dynamic balance (TUG; p = 0.15; and FRT; p = 0.19). Conclusions Inclusion of perturbation training during rehabilitation of patients with chronic stroke improved ADL, gait quality and postural control.