Effects of gait training for hemiparetic patients with restriction of the non-paretic lower limb movement

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate changes in locomotor pattern resulting from gait training for hemiparetic patients with the knee joint immobilized on the non-paretic side. [Subjects] The subjects were six hemiparetic patients who could walk in supervised or independent conditions. [Methods] The subjects walked with the joint immobilized knee on the non-paretic side in the extension position by a knee brace. We measured two-dimensional motion and gait cycles during normal walking before and after gait training with the knee brace. [Results] The single limb support time for the paretic side was significantly longer after gait training with the knee brace. Five subjects had an increased maximum extension angle of the knee joint in the stance phase of the paretic side, but one subject had a decreased maximum extension angle. [Conclusion] These results suggest that gait training with the knee joint immobilized on the non-paretic side can initiate changes in locomotor patterns of paretic lower limbs during walking because of the difficulty of swinging the immobilized limb. © 2013 by the Society of Physical Therapy Science.