Efficacy Of Treadmill Training Research Articles

Feasibility of virtual reality and treadmill training in traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled pilot trial

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of treadmill training with virtual reality compared to treadmill training alone and standard of care balance and mobility treatment in chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants and Design Thirty-one individuals with chronic TBI with self-reported and objective balance deficits participated in a 4-week 12 session intervention of treadmill training with virtual reality, treadmill training alone, or standard of care overground therapy. Outcome Measures Primary measures included recruitment and enrollment rates, retention, tolerance to intervention, completeness of outcome measures, and adverse events. Secondary measures included the Community Balance and Mobility Scale, 10 Meter Walk Test, 6 Minute Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go. Results No serious adverse events were reported. All participants completed all training sessions and assessments at all time points. Recruitment, enrollment, and retention rates were high. All groups showed a trend toward improvement in all balance and mobility measures following treatment. Conclusion Virtual reality and treadmill training are safe and feasibile for individuals with TBI. Participants show improvements on balance and mobility measures following a 4-week intervention. Future research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of this intervention compared to other modes of balance and mobility training.

Treadmill training in patients affected by Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy: results of a multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled study.

Background and purposeMuscle‐strengthening, stretching or proprioceptive treatments may slow symptom progression in Charcot—Marie–Tooth (CMT) neuropathy. The aim of the study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of treadmill training in CMT1A.MethodsWe planned a multicenter, prospective, randomized, single‐blind, controlled study. We recruited 53 outpatients affected by CMT1A and randomized them into two treatment groups: one underwent stretching and proprioceptive exercise, whereas the other was additionally treated with treadmill training (TreSPE). Primary outcome measures (OMs) were the walking evaluations and secondary OM was the balance assessment. All participants were assessed at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment.ResultsMost patients showed an improvement in at least one OM after 3 months [42/47 (89.4%)] and 6 months [38/40 (95%)] of treatment. No adverse events were reported in either group.ConclusionsThe most important finding was that both stretching and proprioceptive exercise and treadmill training had an objective benefit on patients affected by CMT disease, without causing overwork weakness. We had a low rate of drop out and did not find deterioration in motor performance. Our results also confirm that applying evidence‐based medicine methods to rehabilitative research is the correct way to test the efficacy of a treatment.

Efficacy of treadmill training on neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life among elderly Alzheimer's disease

Objective To analyze effect of Treadmill Training on neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in elderly patients with Alzheimer′s disease. Methods From May 2018 to November 2018, the experimental design was adopted. The patients with 55-75 years old AD, the First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou Fujian Medical University were randomly divided into groups. Group (treadmill training, 68 patients), control group (no intervention, 68 patients). The two groups were evaluated before the training and 20 weeks after training, using the Neuropsychology Scale (NPI-Q) and the Alzheimer's disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-AD), and the t-test, two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance, etc. Statistical methods for data analysis. Results There were no significant differences in neuropsychiatric scores and QOL scores between the two groups before training (P>0.05). After training through a 20-week treadmill, the total score of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease in the experimental group (t=-1.317, P=0.204 before training; t=-10.01, P=0.046 after 20 weeks of training), affective symptoms (Before training, t=-1.684, P=0.092; t=-11.26, P=0.043 after 20 weeks of training, psychiatric symptoms (t=1.168 before training, P=0.235; t=-9.94 after training for 20 weeks, P=0.034)), behavioral symptoms (t=1.952 before training, P=0.129; t=-3.61, P=0.028 after 20 weeks of training), and QOL total score (t=1.452, P=0.140 before training; t=22.27 after training, P=0.040) were statistically different; and the improvement of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the experimental group was significantly different from that in the control group (F=23.10, P=0.000), while the QOL of the experimental group was also significantly different from the control group (t=- 8.88, P=0.000). Conclusion Non-pharmacological treatment with treadmill training can improve neuropsychiatric symptoms and improve quality of life in elderly AD patients. Key words: Treadmill training; Neuropsychiatric symptoms; Quality of life; Alzheimer′s disease

The efficacy of treadmill training on balance dysfunction in individuals with chronic stroke: a systematic review

Background: Physical activity and exercise interventions are useful in facilitating the functional recovery of those with chronic stroke and, routinely, are gait-specific. While treadmill training has proven useful in gait performance recovery post-stroke, its efficacy on balance dysfunction has not been systematically reviewed.Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effect of treadmill training (TT) interventions on balance dysfunction in individuals with chronic stroke.Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL was performed. Eligible randomized controlled trials were published between 2007 and 2016. Selected trials investigated TT interventions in persons with chronic stroke and implemented at least one objective balance measure. Methodological quality was assessed using PEDro criteria.Results: Eight studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Studies differed in TT implementation and use of adjunctive treatments; however, all trials demonstrated improvements in balance measures that were as effective, if not more so, than conventional physical therapy treatments, including targeted balance training.Conclusions: This review recognized moderate evidence in favor of TT interventions in balance and stroke rehabilitation programs. With TT, intensity may be a more critical factor than specificity and may offer additional carryover to recovery parameters of postural control and balance, beyond gait performance. It is recommended that clinicians utilizing TT incorporate objective measures of balance to assess the potential for skill transference and improvements in balance. Higher quality studies and additional research are needed to denote critical parameters by which improvements in balance may be optimized.

The efficacy of treadmill training with and without projected visual context for improving walking ability and reducing fall incidence and fear of falling in older adults with fall-related hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundThe ability to adjust walking to environmental context is often reduced in older adults and, partly as result of this, falls are common in this population. A treadmill with visual context projected on its belt (e.g., obstacles and targets) allows for practicing step adjustments relative to that context, while concurrently exploiting the great amount of walking practice associated with conventional treadmill training. The present study was conducted to compare the efficacy of adaptability treadmill training, conventional treadmill training and usual physical therapy in improving walking ability and reducing fear of falling and fall incidence in older adults during rehabilitation from a fall-related hip fracture.MethodsIn this parallel-group, open randomized controlled trial, seventy older adults with a recent fall-related hip fracture (83.3 ± 6.7 years, mean ± standard deviation) were recruited from inpatient rehabilitation care and block randomized to six weeks inpatient adaptability treadmill training (n = 24), conventional treadmill training (n = 23) or usual physical therapy (n = 23). Group allocation was only blind for assessors. Measures related to walking ability were assessed as the primary outcome before and after the intervention and at 4-week and 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included general health, fear of falling, fall rate and proportion of fallers.ResultsMeasures of general walking ability, general health and fear of falling improved significantly over time. Significant differences among the three intervention groups were only found for the Functional Ambulation Category and the dual-task effect on walking speed, which were in favor of respectively conventional treadmill training and adaptability treadmill training.ConclusionsOverall, adaptability treadmill training, conventional treadmill training and usual physical therapy resulted in similar effects on walking ability, fear of falling and fall incidence in older adults rehabilitating from a fall-related hip fracture. Additional post hoc subgroup analyses, with stratification for pre-fracture tolerated walking distance and executive function, revealed several intervention effects in favor of adaptability and conventional treadmill training, indicating superiority over usual physical therapy for certain subgroups. Future well-powered studies are necessary to univocally identify the characteristics of individuals who will benefit most from a particular intervention.Trial registrationThe Netherlands Trial Register (NTR3222, 3 January 2012).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0388-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sustained Improvement of Arterial Blood Oxygenation, Maximum Oxygen Consumption and Maximum Walking Distance after Treadmill Training in Healthy Elderly Subjects?

Background. Physical activity is known to play an important role in improving the cardio-pulmonary function and arterial blood oxygenation (SaO2) in elderly subjects. Objective. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of treadmill training on SaO2, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and maximum walking distance in elderly healthy subjects. Design. Intervention study Setting. El Salam General Hospitals, Cairo (Egypt). Participants. Our study included 41 sub- jects. All participants appeared healthy, without chronic diseases and passed the Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test. Inter- vention. Participants were incorporated in a treadmill-training program of moderate intensity to attain a fraction of 60% to 70% of the maximum heart rate. After 12 weeks of controlled physical activity, the program was made voluntarily for 36 weeks. Measurements. SaO2, VO2 max and maximum walking distance were measured for each individual one-week be- fore and 12 weeks after training and at the 30 th and the 48 th week of the program. Results. Our study included 20 men and 21 women, with mean age of 65.1 + 2.7 years (Range 60-69). An increase in the mean values of SaO2, VO2 max and maximum walking distance after 12 weeks of controlled exercise and also at the 30 th week and the 48 th week of the pro- gram (P<0.05). There has been a decrease in the mean values of VO2 max, SaO2 and maximum walking distance after the 30 th and 48 th week in comparison with the values after the first 12 weeks. Conclusion. Controlled treadmill training for 12 weeks improved SaO2, VO2 max and maximum walking distance of the participants. The mean values of the participants decreased after the 30 th and 48 th week due to lack of adherence to the unsupervised program.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of treadmill training and body weight support in pediatric rehabilitation.

Given the extensive literature on body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) in adult rehabilitation, a systematic review was undertaken to explore the strength, quality, and conclusiveness of evidence supporting use of treadmill training and body weight support in those with pediatric motor disabilities. A secondary goal was to ascertain whether protocol guidelines for BWSTT are available to guide pediatric physical therapy practice. The database search included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, PEDro, Cochrane Library databases, and ERIC from January 1, 1980 to May 31, 2008 for articles that included treadmill training and body weight support for individuals under 21 years of age, with or at risk for a motor disability. We identified 277 unique articles from which 29 met all inclusion criteria. Efficacy of treadmill training in accelerating walking development in Down syndrome has been well demonstrated. Evidence supporting efficacy or effectiveness of BWSTT in pediatric practice for improving gait impairments and level of activity and participation in those with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, and other central nervous system disorders remains insufficient, although many studies noted positive effects. The original evidence demonstrates efficacy of BWSTT in children with Down syndrome, but large-scale controlled trials are needed to support the use of BWSTT in other pediatric subgroups. Increased use of randomized designs, studies with treadmill training-only groups, and dosage studies are needed before practice guidelines can be formulated. Neural changes in response to training warrant exploration, especially given the capacity for change in developing nervous systems.