Efficiency of High-Intensity Gait Training in the Rehabilitation of Post-Stroke Patients

Abstract

Aim: Research of the effectiveness of high-intensity gait training in the rehabilitation of middle-aged patients in different periods after a stroke. Materials and Methods: Middle-aged post-stroke patients took part in the research. They performed either a comprehensive rehabilitation program with the addition of high-intensity gait training or only high-intensity gait training. All patients underwent an assessment of their functioning before and after rehabilitation programs. The following tests were used for assessment: the Berg Balance Scale, the Modified Rivermead Mobility Index, the Functional Ambulation Classification, the 10-meter walk test, and “Get Up and Go” test. The results were processed using statistical methods. Results: The application of high-intensity gait training has demonstrated high efficiency in middle-aged post-stroke patients. Adding the method of high-intensity gait training to comprehensive rehabilitation programs demonstrated significantly higher efficiency than the use of only high-intensity gait training. At the same time, in post-stroke patients, in the early recovery period, the improvement in functioning was better than in the late recovery period. Conclusions: Adding the method HIGT to the comprehensive rehabilitation of middle-age post-stroke patients leads to a significant improvement in their functioning, especially in the early recovery period.