STEP BY STEP: A PROOF OF CONCEPT STUDY OF C-MILL GAIT ADAPTABILITY TRAINING IN THE CHRONIC PHASE AFTER STROKE

Objective: To evaluate the concept of C-Mill gait adaptability training. Design: Pre- and post-intervention assessments. Subjects: Sixteen community-dwelling persons in the chronic phase after stroke (mean age 54:8 years); Methods: Participants received 10 sessions (1 h per session, for 5-6 weeks) of gait adaptability training on an instrumented treadmill augmented with visual targets and obstacles (C-Mill). Pre- and post-intervention assessments included: (i) clinical assessments of balance and gait: 10-m walking test, Timed Up-and-Go test, Berg Balance Scale, obstacle sub-task of the Emory Functional Ambulation Profile, and the Trunk Impairment Scale; (ii) physical activity level, assessed with a pedometer; (iii) success rate of accurate step adjustments towards a displacing target, assessed with an instrumented Target-Stepping Task; (iv) participant's experience with the training. Results: All clinical assessments improved significantly after training (all p < 0.05) except for the Trunk Impairment Scale (p = 0.584). Physical activity increased by 19.6% (p<0.05). improvements in Target-Stepping Task success rates depended on the specific testing condition.(time x body support x step direction, chi(2)(1)=3.884, p<0.05). All participants appreciated the training. Conclusion: The concept of C-Mill gait adaptability training in the chronic phase after stroke is promising and warrants future research, involving a randomized controlled trial.