Walking training of patients with hemiparesis at an early stage after stroke: a comparison of walking training on a treadmill with body weight support and walking training on the ground

Objective: To compare the effect of walking training on a treadmill with bo dy weight support (BWS) and walking training on the ground at an early stag e of rehabilitation in patients with hemiparesis after stroke. Design: Randomized controlled experimental study. Setting: Multicentre design; three departments of rehabilitation medicine. Subjects: Seventy-three consecutive first stroke patients admitted to a reh abilitation clinic were randomized into a treatment group and a control gro up. Interventions: The treatment group received walking training on a treadmill with BWS for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. The control group received walking training according to the Motor Relearning Programme (MRP) on the ground f or 30 minutes 5 days a week, not including treadmill training. During the t ime in the rehabilitation department (about two months), all patients in th e study also received professional stroke rehabilitation besides the walkin g training in the two groups. Main outcome measures: Functional Independence Measure (FIM), walking veloc ity for 10 m. Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC), Fugl-Meyer Stroke Assessment and Berg's Balance Scale. The assessments were performed at adm ission, at discharge and at 10-month follow-up. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the gr oups at discharge or at the 10-month follow-up with regard to FIM, walking velocity, FAC, Fugl-Meyer Stroke Assessment, and Berg's Balance Scale. Pati ents in both groups improved in these variables from admission to the 10-mo nth follow-up. Conclusions: Treadmill training with BWS at an early stage of rehabilitatio n after stroke is a comparable choice to walking training on the ground.