OBJECTIVE To determine if gait speed or walking distance is a better predictor for community walking after stroke. METHODS Data from the FIT-Stroke trial were used in a cross-sectional design. Community walking was measured with a self-administered questionnaire. The 5-m timed walk and the 6-min walk were used to assess gait speed and walking distance. With bivariate regression analyses the a...

Gait disturbances are one of the principal and most incapacitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, walking economy is impaired in PD patients and could contribute to excess fatigue in this population. An important number of studies have shown that treadmill training can improve kinematic parameters in PD patients. However, the effects of treadmill and overground walking on th...

This research was intended at developing a biped walking robot with antagonistic actuation for realizing stable walking motion. A three-linked planar-type walking robot was developed on the basis of the model of a semipassive walking robot. An antagonistic actuation mechanism based on the human musculoskeletal structure was applied to the hip joint of the developed walking robot. The antagonist...

Objectives: Mental practice, as a neuropsychological factor effective in motor recovery, is a cognitive rehearsal of a physical skill without muscular activity. Considering the high level of fatigue in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), we hypothesized that using mental practice as a low-level energy-consuming method added to physical practice could be a useful therapeutic strategy. Therefo...

To explore the effects of qualitative or quantitative changes in walking on motor cortical excitability, a transcranial magnetic stimulation procedure was used to examine the alterations of motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude following walking. Eight healthy participants completed a series of two walking tasks on a treadmill at 2 km/h. The ratio of the left stance duration to the right stanc...

Declines in walking performance are commonly seen when undergoing a concurrent cognitive task in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of walking direction and simultaneous cognitive task on the spatiotemporal gait parameters in persons with MS compared to healthy controls. Ten persons with MS (Median EDSS, 3.0) and ten healthy controls took...

Control of walking has been described by a tripartite model consisting of stepping, equilibrium, and adaptability. This review focuses on walking adaptability, which is defined as the ability to modify walking to meet task goals and environmental demands. Walking adaptability is crucial to safe ambulation in the home and community environments and is often severely compromised after a stroke. Y...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of treadmill walking exercise as a treatment method to improve gait efficiency in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and to determine gait efficiency during overground walking after the treadmill walking exercise. METHODS Fourteen adults with CP were recruited in the experimental group of treadmill walking exercise. A control group of 7 adults with CP who atte...

The performance of two Olympic race walkers was studied during free-speed, fast, and race walking. Measurements of the stride and temporal components of gait, as well as the simultaneous displacement patterns of the body segments, and the electromyographic activity of muscles of the trunk and upper and lower limbs were recorded during the three walking speeds. During the testing, the race walke...