Gait dynamics following variable and constant speed gait training in individuals with chronic stroke

Variable practice may be beneficial for learning novel motor patterns. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a variable practice intervention during treadmill walking on the dynamic properties of gait. Using a counterbalanced design, 16 subjects with hemiparesis following chronic stroke performed 20 min of treadmill walking in constant speed training (CST) and variable speed training (VST) conditions. The dynamic properties of the hip and knee sagittal plane angles for two minutes before (pre-data) and two minutes after (post-data) CST and VST were examined using detrended fluctuation analysis and sample entropy. A main effect for time was observed for sample entropy of the knee angle; no other differences were observed between the pre/post data for the CST or VST conditions. While variable practice conditions are intended to promote movement errors for improved learning, we were unable to detect immediate changes in movement variability as a function of practice condition following a single session of gait training for individuals post-stroke.