Article

In rehabilitation, treadmill walking with body weight support is commonly used to
reduce loads on lower extremities. (1) However, gait pattern alterations during
unloading at constant Froude number are infrequently reported. (2) Furthermore,
differences between two common devices for unloading are not well known.
Therefore, we investigated two devices; a waist-high chamber with increased
pressure called Lower Body Positive Pressure (LBPP), and a harness system
(LiteGait), considered a standard system for unloading the lower body. Four gait
parameters (cadence, normalized stride length, duty factor, and leg angle at
touch down), heart rate, and comfort level were monitored in 12 healthy
volunteers. Subjects walked at three body weight (BW) conditions (100%, 66%, and
33% BW) and three Froude numbers (Fr), which refer to a dimensionless speed
reflecting slow walking (Fr=0.09), comfortable walking (Fr=0.25), and walk-run
transition (Fr=0.5). Absolute treadmill speed was determined using Froude numbers
reflecting dynamically similar motions during unloading. We found that (1) the
normal gait pattern is altered during unloading at a constant Froude number. In
rehabilitation, physical therapists should be aware that normal gait pattern may
not need to be maintained during unloaded treadmill walking. (2) Gait parameters
were not different when comparing LBPP to harness supported walking. However,
heart rate was lower and comfort higher during unloaded LBPP ambulation compared
to suspended harness walking. Therefore, suspended LBPP walking may be more
appropriate for patients with cardiovascular disease and for conditions at high
unloading.

Langue : ANGLAIS