Researcher(s)
- Logan Schlag, Exercise Science, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Darcy Reisman, Physical Therapy, University of Delaware
- Elizabeth Thompson, Physical Therapy, University of Delaware
Abstract
Introduction:
795,000 Americans experience a stroke each year. During rehabilitation, a primary goal is to improve walking, and it is common to incorporate explicit information like visual feedback. However, little is known about how well individuals with chronic stroke can use visual feedback on both legs simultaneously during walking. This is an important question because walking is a bilateral activity; both legs must respond to real-time feedback from the environment. The purpose of this analysis was to determine if individuals with chronic stroke are able to accurately use visual feedback for both legs to change their walking pattern. We hypothesized that individuals would be able to use visual feedback for both legs to change their walking pattern.
Methods:
68 individuals with chronic (>6 months) stroke participated (33 Males/35 Females; average age=65.31±10.60 years). After baseline walking, their walking pattern and step length was perturbed on a split-belt treadmill (one belt twice as fast as the other, with the leg that took a longer step at baseline placed on the faster belt). Visual feedback was provided for forty strides, using 10-cm targets on a computer monitor grid to encourage participants to return to their original step length. We determined each individual’s success rate at hitting the visual targets with the leg on the fast belt (“fast limb”) and with the leg on the slow belt (“slow limb”).
Results:
As a group, the fast limb success rate was significantly greater than slow limb success rate (p<0.001; fast success=61.95±25.19%, slow success=22.52±27.68%).
The paretic leg was on the fast belt for 39/68 participants.
Conclusions:
Individuals with chronic stroke may have difficulty using visual feedback for both legs during walking. In rehabilitation intervention and everyday life, difficulties using visual feedback during walking could make individuals with chronic stroke less adaptable to changes in their environment. Further research should explore potential clinical or cognitive factors that may be associated with greater ability to use visual feedback for both legs.