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The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task
Published on: May 3, 2018
Training rapid stepping responses in an individual with stroke
Avril Mansfield1, Elizabeth L Inness, Janice Komar
1Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. avril.mansfield@utoronto.ca
Physical Therapy
|April 23, 2011
Summary
Targeted training improved compensatory stepping reactions in a stroke survivor, enhancing balance and reducing fall risk. This involved repeated postural perturbations to retrain the affected limb.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Motor Control
Background:
- Compensatory stepping reactions are crucial for fall prevention after postural perturbation.
- Stroke survivors with hemiparesis often exhibit delayed and impaired stepping, particularly with the more-affected limb.
Observation:
- A 68-year-old male stroke survivor demonstrated significant deficits in compensatory stepping, including weight-bearing asymmetry and inability to initiate steps with the right (more-affected) leg.
- Initial assessments showed a need for assistance to prevent falls during postural perturbation trials.
Findings:
- Six sessions of targeted perturbation training led to improved compensatory stepping reactions.
- Key improvements included reduced weight-bearing asymmetry, faster step initiation and completion times, and decreased reliance on assistance for fall prevention.
- Blocking the non-affected limb facilitated stepping with the more-affected limb.
Implications:
- Perturbation-based training shows potential for short-term improvements in compensatory stepping control post-stroke.
- Further research is needed to explore the relationship between enhanced stepping characteristics and reduced fall risk in stroke populations.
