21 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
This study consists of three phases that aim to develop an exercise intervention to promote maximal activation of ankle plantar flexors in the paretic lower extrimty (LE) in order to restore a more normalized gait pattern in chronic stroke survivors. The aim of the first phase is to determine if there are differences between standing on different levels of inclination on plantar flexion activation during forward movement of the contralateral LE in adults with chronic with stroke. The aim of second phase is to determine if there are differences between different percentages of weight bearing on the paretic LE on plantar flexion activation during forward movement of the contralateral LE in adults with chronic stroke. The aim of the third phase is to determine if there are differences between a 4-week plantar flexion training intervention and conventional physical therapy.
The purpose of this study is to determine if treadmill training with body weight-support (BWST) is more effective at improving walking in individuals post-stroke than a resisted leg-cycling exercise program. In addition, we want to determine if training programs that combine leg strength training to treadmill walking provide an additional benefit to post-stroke walking outcomes.
The proposed study aims to optimize patient outcomes and treatment intervention using a robotic exoskeleton in adults with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA, stroke) by investigating the following: AIM 1 is to investigate the effect of backward gait training with exoskeleton on motor function. AIM 2 is to investigate the effect of backward gait training with exoskeleton on depression. AIM 3 is to investigate the impact of social determinants of health and depression on patient adherence to physical therapy.
When people walk, their ankle joints help to hold them upright and move them forward. Ankle braces are often given to people who have had a stroke to help their ankle joints work properly. The investigators have developed a method to design and make a special type of ankle brace that allows the investigators to control every characteristic of the ankle brace, allowing the investigators to customize the ankle brace to fit and function just the way the investigators want it to. The investigators think that ankle braces customized to meet the needs of each individual person will help the participants walk better. The investigators have also developed a prescription model that tells the investigators how to customize these ankle braces to address different levels of two common impairments experienced by people post stroke -decreased ability to move the ankle joint and weakened calf muscles. The purpose of this study is to test the prescription model to see if wearing the ankle brace customized based on the prescription model improves people's ability to walk. To accomplish this goal, the investigators will first measure each person's ability to move his/her ankle joint and the strength of his/her calf muscles. The investigators will put this information in to the prescription model to determine how to customize the ankle brace for each person. The investigators will then use the method developed to make the customized ankle brace. Finally, the investigators will measure how each person walks in the ankle brace customized just for the participants. This study will allow the investigators to validate and/or refine the prescription model and teach the investigators how persons post-stroke adapt to walking in ankle braces with different characteristics.
This study will conduct a preliminary evaluation of and obtain user data on a novel game-based visual interface for stroke gait training. Study participants will complete one session comprising exposure to gait biofeedback systems in an order determined by randomization. Participants will be exposed to 2 types of biofeedback interfaces: * newly developed game-based interface (projector screen display) * traditional, non-game interface
The purpose of this research is to compare improvements between the rehab intervention with walking practice using the robotic exoskeleton versus walking practice that is vigorous enough to keep participants' heart rate over a certain target level during physical therapy sessions. Investigators want to compare improvements in your walking function and mental health that occur after 20 interventions. The study also aims to evaluate if participants' mental health, social support, and health literacy affect attendance at physical therapy sessions.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if operant conditioning can reduce spasticity in order to improve walking in stroke patient. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can participants self-regulate reflex excitability * Can participants self-regulate reflex, reduce spasticity and improve walking Participants will undergo surface stimulation to evoke spinal reflexes and will be asked to control these reflexes therefore reducing spasticity. Researchers will compare result to able bodied participants to see if \[insert effects\]
This is a device study that will evaluate the effect of an implanted stimulator on improving walking in stroke survivors. There are two phases in the study: 1) Screening - this phase determines if the individual is a good candidate to receive an implanted system, 2) Implantation, controller development, and evaluation - this phase includes installing the device and setting the individual up for home use, creating advanced controllers for walking and evaluating the effect of the device over several months.
The purpose of this quality improvement project was first to monitor usual physical therapy care (types \& cardiovascular intensity of interventions and amount of stepping practice provided) and outcomes. Following which educational training and support was provided to treating physical therapists to encourage implementation of evidence-based practices. Specifically, therapists were encouraged to prioritize the practice of walking, particularly at higher cardiovascular intensities during scheduled therapy sessions. Fidelity metrics in the form of chart audits and pedometer-based step counts were utilized to determine compliance with the evidence-based intervention and ultimately investigated for potential effects on patient outcome measures.
Prediction of walking recovery after stroke can inform patient-centered care and support discharge planning. The accuracy of current prediction models is limited, however, due to small study designs and narrow predictors assessed. The investigators propose a comprehensive evaluation of a novel combination of biomarkers to improve prediction of walking recovery and guide rehabilitation efforts after stroke. These include acute structural brain network disruption (utilizing MRI); blood biomarker levels (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor); and clinical assessments of strength and mobility. The overall study objectives are to assess protocol feasibility and investigate relationships between select biomarkers and walking recovery to provide strong justification for a larger study on predictors of independent walking after stroke. The proposed objectives will be pursued through the following specific aims: 1) Assess feasibility of a larger study and develop methods for telehealth data collection; 2) Establish baseline levels of biomarkers and average change over time; and 3) Elucidate relationships between baseline levels of biomarkers and walking gains across time in persons after stroke. A longitudinal, observational study design will be utilized for this study. Thirty-five persons with acute (≤7 days) stroke will be recruited from the local medical center. Select inclusion criteria include presence of new lower limb weakness and assistance for walking; select exclusion criteria include cerebellar stroke or other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease. Subjects will undergo clinical evaluation at week 1, 4, 9, 12, and 26 weeks post-stroke. MRI scans will occur within 12 days post-stroke and at 12 weeks post-stroke, and blood draws within 1 week, 1 to 2 weeks and at 12 weeks post-stroke. To assess feasibility the investigators will examine study processes, recruitment, resources, study management, and scientific assessment. To examine the role of acute clinical, neuroimaging, and physiological measures in predicting walking recovery, the investigators will examine relationships between these measures and walking outcome at 12-weeks post-stroke. The proposed research is expected to provide strong scientific support for future clinical trials designed to target therapies based on predicted functional potential. Such knowledge has the potential of enhancing mobility gains and patient independence following stroke.
The purpose of this study is to examine the reflex excitability of the rectus femoris in individuals with and without post-stroke Stiff-Knee gait. We use electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerve innervating the rectus femoris for a well-controlled reflex stimulus. We are investigating whether reflex excitability of the rectus femoris correlates with gait kinematics.
Difficulty walking is common after a stroke. Although physical rehabilitation helps a little with the improvement of walking ability, recovery is usually incomplete. The purpose of this study is to explore how two different treadmill training approaches influence walking speed, symmetry, and balance in people with chronic severe stroke-related walking impairment. The two approaches involve either forward or backwards treadmill training. This study will look at changes in walking performance and balance, before and after training. This study may lead to more efficient methods for improving walking performance and balance after stroke.
In this research study, the investigators aim to test the usability and efficacy of the GaitBetter system for gait rehabilitation after stroke.
Despite current walking rehabilitation strategies, the majority of stroke survivors are unable to walking independently in the community and remain at increased risk of falls. Backward treadmill training is a novel training approach used by elite athletes to enhance speed, agility, and balance; however, it is currently unknown how this exercise interacts with the central nervous system or if it could benefit stroke survivors with residual walking impairment. Knowledge gained from this study will likely lead to more effective walking rehabilitation strategies in stroke and related disorders.
A variety of rehabilitation techniques focused on improving disability after stroke have shown significant changes on walking speed, and endurance. Also, the administration of combined techniques showed better results. Previous studies have suggested that embedding behavioral strategies in neurorehabilitation protocols can enhance patient's adherence and participation outside the clinical setting. The addition of a group of behavioral strategies called Transfer Package (TP) has been widely used in motor training protocol (e.g. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy). The TP has shown to enhance the effects of treatment 2.4 times when compared to motor training alone. However, the effect of TP when combined with robotic gait training remains unexplored. In this study our goal is to combine the TP with robotic gait training. The hypothesis is that using the TP in combination with robotic gait training will enhance the outcome of robotic gait training alone and will induce long term transference and retention of the motor skills observed after treatment. More importantly, this experimental intervention is more meaningful to the patient and can be more easily implemented on the clinical setting. The aims of this study are (1) to assess transfer and long-term retention of walking and balance skills after robotic treadmill gait training combined with the TP, (2) to understand participants' acceptability and perceptions of the TP as a tool to enhance transfer of skills to real-world situations, and (3) to examine the feasibility of these combined intervention to improve walking and balance after stroke.
Participants are being asked to participate in a research study conducted by Shih-Chiao Tseng, PT, Ph.D. at Texas Woman's University. This research study is to determine whether low-intensive brain stimulation can enhance learning of a leg movement task. The investigators also want to know if brain stimulation can improve the nerve function and walking performance. Our goal is to understand any relationship between brain stimulation and overall movement control improvement. Participants have been invited to join this research if they have had a stroke before or they are healthy adults aged 21 years or older. Research evidence shows stroke can induce permanent brain damage and therefore may cause a person to have trouble learning a new task. This in turn may significantly impact the recovery of motor function in stroke survivors. In addition, the investigators also want to know how a healthy person learns this new leg task and see if her/his learning pattern differs from a stroke survivor. This study comprises two phases: Phase I study investigates short-term effects of brain stimulation on leg skill learning and only requires two visits to TWU. The total time commitment for Phase I study will be about 6.5 hours, 3.5 hours on the first visit and three hours on the second visit; Phase II study is an expanded version of Phase I study to investigate long-term effects of brain stimulation on leg skill learning and requires to complete 12 visits of exercise training paired with brain stimulation over a four-week period and additional one visit for follow-up test. The total time commitment for Phase II study will be about 20 hours, a total of 18 hours for 12 exercise training sessions and two hours for a follow-up test. The investigators hypothesize that people with chronic stroke will show a slower rate of acquiring this leg skill as compared to healthy adults. The investigators also hypothesize that co-applying brain stimulation with 12 sessions of exercise training will enhance skill learning of this leg task for people with chronic stroke and this 12-session exercise program may exert beneficial influences on the nerve function and leg muscle activation, and consequentially improve motor control for walking.
The objective of this research is to investigate the feasibility of delivering gait treatment using the Moterum iStride Solution™ to individuals with hemiparetic gait impairments using a telemedicine modality, the Moterum Digital Platform.
The current investigation takes advantage of both a progressive and adaptive assist-as-needed massed practice and time-sensitive neuroplasticity through exoskeleton assisted walking in order to induce greater recovery-oriented CNS plasticity and consequent gains in more independent walking.
This clinical study will involve up to 30 ischemic stroke inpatients during their stay at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. Participants will be randomized to receive 30 additional minutes of therapy every day, for a total of 2 weeks (14 days). One group will receive 30 minutes of standard physical therapy focused on pre-gait or gait training activities, while the experimental group will receive 30 minutes of Walkbot with Augmented Reality. Both groups will receive the same time in therapy aimed at gait training.
The long-term study goal is to develop a more engaging, motivating gait biofeedback methodologies specifically designed for post-stroke gait training. The current project aims to address fundamental questions regarding the optimal methodology to deliver AGRF biofeedback during gait, and the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of AGRF progression protocols for improved gait patterns and gait function. The study objectives are to (1) evaluate the immediate effects of biofeedback training methodology on gait biomechanics; and (2) evaluate the feasibility and short-term effects on gait performance of a real-time biofeedback protocol incorporating progression criteria (similar to those employed during clinical rehabilitative training).
This study aims to assess the feasibility of a visual feedback system designed to augment treadmill-based gait training for children with gait disturbances related to hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The visual feedback uses data from knee and hip joint movements to represent the position of the foot ahead of or behind the body during walking. This study will test eight children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy who have short step lengths related to atypical knee and hip motions when the foot contacts the ground (initial contact). The study will examine walking adaptations in response to the new visual feedback system and compare differences in response and user experience between two variants of the new design. In a single visit, participants will undergo a gait retraining protocol using the dual joint visual feedback (DJVF) system. Hip and knee flexion angles of the paretic (weaker) side will be collected, analyzed, and compared during baseline walking and while responding to the two feedback variants. Muscle firing patterns will be studied using electrodes placed on key lower limb muscles. Study participants will be asked to report their experience and preferences following the gait retraining protocol. The study findings will be used to further refine the DJVF system in preparation for future studies.