Abstract
Introduction. This study evaluated the influence of the degree of treadmill belt inclination for training of ambulatory patients with hemiparetic stroke. Methods. Twelve patients were instructed to walk at 5 different levels of inclination (0%-8%) while harness-secured on the treadmill. The gait velocity was kept constant during all conditions. Dependent variables were heart rate, gait cycle-dependent parameters, and electromyographic activation patterns of the weight-bearing muscles. Results. Heart rate increased across all inclination levels, stride length increased and cadence decreased, whereas swing symmetry improved due to shortening of the relative swing phase of the affected side at the 6% and 8% inclination levels. No change in the activation pattern of the leg muscles was found. Conclusion. An inclination up to at least 8% can be accommodated for treadmill training by ambulatory stroke patients. For a given belt speed, heart rate increased without exceeding critical levels and patients walked with a more symmetric pattern. This protocol appeared to be safe in this selected group of subjects.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
