Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation

Nagano, Hanatsu; Said, Catherine M.; James, Lisa; Begg, Rezaul K.

doi:10.3390/brainsci10120978

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Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation

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Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia

Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3053, Australia

Physiotherapy Department, Western Health, St. Albans, VIC 3021, Australia

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Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science, St. Albans, VIC 3021, Australia

⁵

Physiotherapy Department, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Brain Sci. 2020, 10(12), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120978

Received: 9 October 2020 / Revised: 25 November 2020 / Accepted: 11 December 2020 / Published: 13 December 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Balance Rehabilitation in Neurological Disorders)

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Abstract

Hemiplegic stroke often impairs gait and increases falls risk during rehabilitation. Tripping is the leading cause of falls, but the risk can be reduced by increasing vertical swing foot clearance, particularly at the mid-swing phase event, minimum foot clearance (MFC). Based on previous reports, real-time biofeedback training may increase MFC. Six post-stroke individuals undertook eight biofeedback training sessions over a month, in which an infrared marker attached to the front part of the shoe was tracked in real-time, showing vertical swing foot motion on a monitor installed in front of the subject during treadmill walking. A target increased MFC range was determined, and participants were instructed to control their MFC within the safe range. Gait assessment was conducted three times: Baseline, Post-training and one month from the final biofeedback training session. In addition to MFC, step length, step width, double support time and foot contact angle were measured. After biofeedback training, increased MFC with a trend of reduced step-to-step variability was observed. Correlation analysis revealed that MFC height of the unaffected limb had interlinks with step length and ankle angle. In contrast, for the affected limb, step width variability and MFC height were positively correlated. The current pilot-study suggested that biofeedback gait training may reduce tripping falls for post-stroke individuals. View Full-Text

Keywords: falls prevention; stroke rehabilitation; biofeedback gait training; tripping risk; minimum foot clearance

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nagano, H.; Said, C.M.; James, L.; Begg, R.K. Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 978. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120978

AMA Style

Nagano H, Said CM, James L, Begg RK. Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation. Brain Sciences. 2020; 10(12):978. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120978

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nagano, Hanatsu, Catherine M. Said, Lisa James, and Rezaul K. Begg. 2020. "Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation" Brain Sciences 10, no. 12: 978. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120978

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Feasibility of Using Foot–Ground Clearance Biofeedback Training in Treadmill Walking for Post-Stroke Gait Rehabilitation

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