Abstract TP87: Trending the Impact of Non-Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training on Physical Functioning and Depressive Symptoms in Chronic Stroke Survivors

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is the most common cause of adult-onset disability and is often associated with chronic limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs). Relatedly, the loss of functional independence has been suggested in increasing the likelihood of post-stroke depression, yet limited strategies are available to mitigate these risks. The objective of this secondary analysis study was to determine the immediate and residual impact of non- body weight supported treadmill training (NBWTT) on ADL and PHQ-9 in chronic stroke survivors. We hypothesized that training would result in improvement in ADL and depressive symptoms. Method: Data from 40-community-dwelling stroke survivors with mild-moderate walking impairment were used for this analysis. All participants underwent nine training sessions (3 per week x 3 weeks) of backward (BLTT/n=19) or forward (FLTT/n=21) NBWTT. The Stroke Impact Scale -16 (ADL-measure) and PHQ-9 (depression screen) were collected at baseline, post-training, at 30- and 90-day follow-up. Results: Both BLTT and FLTT resulted in an improvement in SIS-16 (p<0.01) and PHQ9 <0.01); however, there were no significant differences between groups. Post-training improvements in SIS and PHQ-9 were minimally inversely correlated (p<0.01, R2=0.2). While the impact of training on SIS-16 and PHQ-9 were still present at 30 and 90-days post-training, these differences were no longer significant. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings suggest that NBWTT resulted transient improvements in both ADL and symptoms of depression. Future studies should investigate ways to extend the effects of training on these and similar quality of life measures.