Effects of a gait training session combined with a mass on the non-paretic lower limb on locomotion of hemiparetic patients: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Results of recent studies have suggested that restraint of non-paretic lower limb movement could improve locomotion in hemiplegic patients. The aim of this study was therefore to determine if a mass applied to the non-paretic lower limb during a single gait training session (GTS) would specifically improve spatio-temporal, kinematic and kinetic gait parameters (GP) of the paretic lower limb. Methods: Sixty chronic hemiplegic subjects were included in this randomized study. Each participated in one of four GTS conditions: overground or on a treadmill while wearing or not wearing an ankle mass. All subjects were assessed before, immediately after and 20 mm after the end of the GTS using 3D gait analysis. Results: The results showed that restraining the non-paretic lower limb during a GTS had no specific effect on GP of the paretic limb, whereas it increased braking force of the non-paretic limb. Conclusion: Restraining the non-paretic lower limb of hemiparetic patients with a mass applied to the ankle does not seem to be an effective approach to improve paretic lower limb parameters during a single GTS. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.