Effects of Voluntary Adjustments During Walking in Participants Post-stroke

Launched by CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY · Sep 11, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how people who have had a stroke can adjust their walking patterns. Researchers want to understand the differences in muscle activity when participants change their walking intentionally (with guidance) versus when they adapt naturally to changes in their walking environment. By looking closely at these two types of walking adjustments, the goal is to find better ways to help stroke survivors regain their walking abilities and improve their overall recovery.

To participate, individuals must be stroke survivors who have had their stroke more than six months ago and can walk on a treadmill for at least two minutes, either independently or with a cane. They should not have any other neurological or orthopedic conditions that affect their walking. The study is also looking for healthy adults without walking limitations or recent injuries. Participants will walk on a special treadmill and may learn new ways to walk, which can lead to improved muscle coordination and better walking skills. For those interested, this trial represents a chance to contribute to important research that could enhance recovery for many stroke survivors.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria for stroke survivors are:
• • Chronic hemiparesis (time since stroke \> 6 months) caused by a single documented stroke event.
• • Ability to walk on the treadmill continuously for 2 minutes
• • Ability to walk over ground independently or with the use of a cane
• • No concurrent neurological disorders or orthopedic conditions that interfere with their ability to walk
• • No prior experience walking on a split-belt treadmill
• • Normal or corrected to normal vision
• • The ability for them or a guardian to provide informed consent.
• Inclusion criteria for neurotypical adults are:
• • No musculoskeletal conditions or injuries that limit walking ability within the last two years
• • No history of neurological disorders or severe head trauma
• • No prior experience walking on a split-belt treadmill
• • Normal or corrected to normal vision.
• Exclusion Criteria for stroke survivors are:
• • Inability to walk
• • Concurrent neurological disorders or orthopedic conditions that interfere with their ability to walk
• • More than one stroke
• • Visual neglect
• • Uncontrolled hypertension
• • Inability to provide informed consent.
• Exclusion Criteria for neurotypical controls are:
• • Inability to walk
• • Concurrent neurological disorders or orthopedic conditions that interfere with their ability to walk
• • Uncontrolled hypertension
• • Inability to provide informed consent.