Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
A Rehabilitation Program of Exoskeleton-assisted Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training with Non-immersive Virtual Reality for Stroke Patients
Published on: May 16, 2025
Immediate effect of treadmill walking practice versus overground walking practice on overground walking pattern in
Suzanne S Kuys1, Sandra G Brauer, Louise Ada
1School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith University, Australia. s.kuys@griffith.edu.au
Objective:
To determine whether 10 minutes of treadmill walking had a different effect on overground walking pattern compared with 10 minutes of overground walking in newly ambulatory stroke patients. Are any changes influenced by walking ability?
Design:
A within-participant, repeated measures experimental study was conducted. Each participant carried out 10 minutes of overground walking practice followed by 10 minutes of treadmill walking practice at matched heart rate on separate days.
Setting:
An inpatient rehabilitation facility.
Subjects:
Twenty-one participants receiving inpatient rehabilitation following stroke.
Measures:
Overground walking pattern was measured as linear and angular kinematics using GAITRite and a two-dimensional webcam application respectively.
Results:
Following treadmill walking practice, there was 6 degrees (95% confidence interval (CI) 2 to 10) more knee extension at heel strike during overground walking than following overground walking practice. Poorer walkers increased non-paretic limb step length following treadmill walking practice more than those with better walking ability (mean difference 2.2 cm, 95% CI 0 to 5).
Conclusions:
Ten minutes of treadmill walking practice resulted in a similar overground walking pattern compared with overground walking practice in newly ambulatory stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation, regardless of walking ability.
