Walking Balance Training Post-Stroke

Description

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, affecting \~795,000 people annually. Among ambulatory people with chronic stroke, impaired balance is common and substantially limits mobility (those with the poorest balance walk the least). This project will explore if a novel gait training intervention using a robotic device to amplify a person's self-generated movements can improve walking balance in people with chronic stroke. The development of effective interventions to increase walking balance among people with chronic stroke will positively impact quality of life and ability to participate in walking activities.

Conditions

Stroke

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, affecting \~795,000 people annually. Among ambulatory people with chronic stroke, impaired balance is common and substantially limits mobility (those with the poorest balance walk the least). This project will explore if a novel gait training intervention using a robotic device to amplify a person's self-generated movements can improve walking balance in people with chronic stroke. The development of effective interventions to increase walking balance among people with chronic stroke will positively impact quality of life and ability to participate in walking activities.

Movement Amplification Training to Enhance Walking Balance Post-Stroke

Walking Balance Training Post-Stroke

Condition
Stroke
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Chicago

Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. 18 to 80 years of age;
  • 2. diagnosis of hemiparetic stroke;
  • 3. more than 6 months post-stroke;
  • 4. ability to ambulate over ground for 10 meters with or without a single cane, and/or ankle-foot orthosis.
  • 1. cognitive impairment (score of ≤22/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale);
  • 2. aphasia (score of ≥71/100 on the Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test);
  • 3. excessive spasticity in lower limbs (score of \> 3 on the Modified Ashworth Scale);
  • 4. unable to tolerate 10-min. of standing;
  • 5. enrollment in concurrent physical therapy;
  • 6. use of braces/orthotics crossing the knee joint;
  • 7. known pregnancy;
  • 8. severe cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or other neurological conditions affecting gait and balance.
  • 9. brainstem and/or cerebellar lesion
  • 10. perinatal stroke

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine,

Keith Gordon, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University

Study Record Dates

2025-07-31