Purpose :The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of anti-gravity treadmill gait training and underwater walking therapy on cardiorespiratory fitness, gait and balance in stroke survivors.
Methods: The study included 39 patients with a history of stroke who were admitted to our center between July 2017 and January 2018. The patients were randomly assigned to anti-gravity treadmill training, underwater walking therapy, or a control group. The aerobic capacity of the participants was evaluated with the 6-min walk test and cycle ergometer testing before and after the treatment. Balance was examined using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS).
Article cited in：Acta Neurologica Belgica (2023) 123:423–432
Article link：https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-022-02012-0
Acute stroke is defined as the acute onset of focal neurological findings in a vascular territory as a result of impaired blood fow. This condition is the primary cause of disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death among patients aged ≥ 60 years . Stroke is also the third leading cause of mortality in developed countries.
Gait disorders are frequently seen in stroke patients, and one of the important rehabilitation goals in this patient group is balanced and safe walking. Several factors such as muscle weakness, spasticity, selective motor control disturbance and joint contractures have been suggested to play a role in the development of gait disturbances in patients after stroke.
There is limited information in the literature about the use of anti-gravity treadmill exercises and underwater walking exercises, which are types of aerobic exercises in stroke rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of anti-gravity treadmill exercises and under water walking exercises, which are aerobic exercises, on cardiorespiratory fitness, functional capacity and balance.In this study, the effects of anti-gravity treadmill training were investigated in comparison with underwater walking therapy and conventional therapy. The therapeutic effects of these treatment modalities were evaluated using the 6MWT and cycle ergometer testing. The main finding of the study was that anti-gravity treadmill exercises have a favorable effect on cardiorespiratory fitness and functional capacity in stroke survivors compared to underwater walking therapy and conventional therapy.
In conclusion, anti-gravity treadmill training was seen to have positive effects on aerobic capacity and functional status in stroke patients. In addition, a strong association was observed between anti-gravity treadmill training and improvements in ventricular repolarization heterogeneity. Due to the favorable effects of anti-gravity treadmill training on several parameters, this method may be used more frequently in daily practice.