Walking training with partial body weight support on static and dynamic surfaces in individuals with hemiparesis due to stroke

• Grant number: 13/01050-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Maria Forti Barela
• Grantee: Gabriela Lopes Gama
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde. Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul (UNICSUL). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Partial body weight support (PBWS) systems have become popular in walking rehabilitation programs of individuals who suffered stroke. However, these systems are more commonly used in combination with treadmills. The goal of this research project is to investigate the effects of walking training with PBWS on two types of walking surface: treadmill and overground in individuals who had suffered stroke. In this way, three training protocols will be employed in three experimental groupsG1 will practice walking with PBWS on treadmill; G2 will practice walking with PBWS overground; G3 will practice walking on both treadmill and overground. All individuals will be evaluated before, right after and one month after the training sessions ended using clinical protocols and kinematic and kinetic analysis. Clinical protocols will include functional independence, lower limbs motor function and balance of these individuals, and walking kinematic and kinetic analysis will include space-temporal, joint and segmental angles measurements, and ground reaction forces, respectively. All individuals will be evaluated walking on a walkway with two force plates fluxed in the central area, with reflective markers on their body segments. The three experimental groups will be submitted to three training sessions per week of approximately 45 minutes each, during six weeks, totalizing 18 training sessions.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GAMA, GABRIELA L.; CELESTINO, MELISSA L.; BARELA, JOSE A.; BARELA, ANA M. F.. Gait initiation and partial body weight unloading for functional improvement in post-stroke individuals. GAIT & POSTURE, v. 68, p. 305-310, FEB 2019. (13/01050-1, 09/15003-0, 13/02322-5, 10/15218-3, 15/13100-9)

CELESTINO, MELISSA L.; VAN EMMERIK, RICHARD; BARELA, JOSE A.; GAMA, GABRIELA L.; BARELA, ANA M. F.. Intralimb gait coordination of individuals with stroke using vector coding. HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE, v. 68, DEC 2019. (13/02322-5, 13/01050-1, 15/13100-9, 16/08883-7)