Article

Regaining independent ambulation is important to those with stroke.
Increased walking practice during "down time" in rehabilitation could improve
walking function for individuals with stroke. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect
of providing physiotherapists with accelerometer-based feedback on patient
activity and walking-related goals during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.
METHODS: Participants with stroke wore accelerometers around both ankles every
weekday during inpatient rehabilitation. Participants were randomly assigned to
receive daily feedback about walking activity via their physiotherapists (n = 29)
or to receive no feedback (n = 28). Changes in measures of daily walking (walking
time, number of steps, average cadence, longest bout duration, and number of
"long" walking bouts) and changes in gait control and function assessed
in-laboratory were compared between groups. RESULTS: There was no significant
increase in walking time, number of steps, longest bout duration, or number of
long walking bouts for the feedback group compared with the control group (P
values > .20). However, individuals who received feedback significantly increased
cadence of daily walking more than the control group (P = .013). From the
in-laboratory gait assessment, individuals who received feedback had a greater
increase in walking speed and decrease in step time variability than the control
group (P values < .030). CONCLUSION: Feedback did not increase the amount of
walking completed by individuals with stroke. However, there was a significant
increase in cadence, indicating that intensity of daily walking was greater for
those who received feedback than the control group. Additionally, more intense
daily walking activity appeared to translate to greater improvements in walking
speed.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2015.

Langue : ANGLAIS