Biomechanical differences between self-paced and fixed-speed treadmill walking in persons after stroke

Background: Using self-paced treadmills for gait analysis requires less space compared to over -ground gait labs while a more natural walking pattern could be preserved compared to fixed -speed treadmill walking. Although self-paced treadmills have been used in stroke related inter-vention studies, studies comparing self-paced to fixed-speed treadmill walking in this population are scarce. Methods: Twenty-five persons after stroke (10 males/15 females; 53 +/- 12.05 years; 40.72 +/- 42.94 months post stroke) walked on a treadmill in a virtual environment (GRAIL, Motek) in two conditions (self-paced and fixed-speed). After familiarization, all participants completed two trials (3 min) at comfortable walking velocity in randomized order. A paired-sample t-test or Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to calculate differences between both conditions for spatiotemporal parameters. Statistical Parametric mapping was conducted using the t-tests (SPM (t)), to statistically compare the kinematic and kinetic curves. Results: The self-selected walking velocity on the treadmill was higher in the self-paced condition compared to the fixed-speed condition (p < 0.001). However, most variability and symmetry measures were similar in both conditions. Only the standard deviation of the step length at the paretic side was significant higher (p = 0.007) and step length symmetry was significantly better (p = 0.032) in the self-paced condition. Detected kinematic and kinetic differences were small (< 3, < 0.1 Nm/kg) and stride to stride variability was comparable in both conditions. Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study, self-paced walking can be used as an equivalent to fixed-speed treadmill walking in persons after stroke. Accordingly, this justifies the use of this more functional mode in clinical gait assessment and rehabilitation trials.

Automated summary

Self-paced treadmill walking can be used as an equivalent to fixed-speed treadmill walking in individuals after stroke. Most spatiotemporal parameters, kinematic and kinetic curves are similar between self-paced and fixed-speed conditions, with only minor differences in step length variability and symmetry.