Article

Normal walking includes coordinated and controlled movement of the legs and arms.
However, patients following stroke often present with inappropriate motor control
which limits coordinated movement patterns of the affected limbs. This study
aimed to compare the effects of rhythmic arm swing and arm fixation during
treadmill walking in patients with poststroke hemiparesis. We used an alternating
study design with multiple baselines across subjects.
Three patients with chronic
stroke participated in this study. During treadmill walking, rhythmic arm swing
and arm fixation conditions were alternately applied. Outcome measures included
the 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and energy expenditure index (EEI). In the
intervention phase, all subjects showed significantly greater improvements in the
10MWT and EEI scores for rhythmic arm swing condition compared to those for arm
fixation condition (p < 0.05). 10MWT improvement rates: Subject 1-34.81% vs.
15.75%; Subject 2-40.00% vs. 17.95%; and Subject 3-38.08% vs. 21.85%; and EEI
improvements: Subject 1-23.19% vs. 14.08%; Subject 2-26.15% vs. 20.43%; and
Subject 3-22.99% vs. 14.49%. These findings suggest that rhythmic arm swing is
clinically feasible as a more favorable option to enhance the effects of
treadmill walking training. However, larger studies with a different study design
are needed to be able to make any judgment about the usefulness of the treatment.

Langue : ANGLAIS