Virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmill training improved lower limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Most stroke patients affected walking dysfunction. Virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmil training has been proposed as a strategy for gait training of cerebral infarction subjects. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmil training on lower limb motor function in subacute cerebral infarction patients. METHODS:Twenty cerebral infarction patients (within 3 months of onset) were randomly divided into experiment group (virtual reality-enhanced body weight-supported treadmil training) and control group (conventional physiotherapy). Three-dimensional gait analysis in lower limb motor function was carried out before and after 3-week gait training. Intergroup and intragroup comparisons in the fol owing parameters were done before and after trainingwalking speed, cadence, step time, single limb support time (%), double limb support time (%), nonparetic swing (%), step length, pace, range of motion in the lower limb, functional ambulation category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the lower limbs and Brunel Balance Assessment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:No significant differences in patient’s gender, age, course of disease, affected. side, walking speed, functional ambulation category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the lower limbs and Brunel Balance Assessment were detected between the two groups before training (P>0.05). Fugl-Meyer Assessment and functional ambulation category were improved in patients of the two groups after training (P<0.05). The improvement in walking speed, cadence, step time in affected side, step time in healthy side, single limb support time in affected side (%), nonparetic swing (%), pace, step lengths in affected and healthy sides were better in the experimental group than those in the control group.