Effect of Visual Cue Training on Gait and Walking Velocity in Chronic Stroke Patients- A Quasi-experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is the major cause of disability and death in the world. More than 80% of stroke survivors face walking impairment due to muscle weakness, incoordination and spasticity. For physical rehabilitation of patients with neurological conditions combination of approaches are used. Visual cuing techniques are useful approaches for rehabilitation but the effect of visual cue training for gait and walking velocity is less explored for a patient with chronic stroke. Aim: To determine the effect of visual cue training on gait and walking velocity in subjects with chronic stroke. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study in which 38 patients of chronic stroke were selected from various physiotherapy Outpatient Departments (OPD), of Surat, Gujarat from January 2019 to August 2020. Samples were randomly allocated into two groups, group A and group B; conventional and experimental group respectively. Group A was given conventional training and group B was given visual cue training along with conventional training for three days a week, 20 minutes/session. Both groups received conventional training five days a week, for four weeks. Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and walking velocity were taken as an outcome measure and checked before intervention and after the end of four weeks of intervention. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Paired t-test was carried out for within group comparison. Results: The results of the study indicates that there was significant difference in DGI and walking speed preintervention and postintervention in both the groups (p<0.001). The mean difference of DGI in group A and B was 1.94±0.52 and 3. 26±0.99, respectively (p<0.001). The result of the study suggests that there is greater improvement in visual cue training group. Conclusion: The present study results conclude that visual cue training along with conventional training shows greater improvements in gait and walking velocity than the conventional training alone.