Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 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
Pressure-controlled treadmill training in chronic stroke: a case study with AlterG
Cherise Lathan1, Andrew Myler, Jennifer Bagwell
1Clinical Faculty and Clinical Physical Therapy (CL), Keck Medical Center of USC, Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (AM), Downey, California; Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Laboratory (JB), University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Biokinesiology and Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Lab (CMP), Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles; and Clinical Physical Therapy and Neuroplasticity and Imaging Laboratory (BEF), Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Background And Purpose:
Body-weight-supported treadmill training has been shown to be an effective intervention to improve walking characteristics for individuals who have experienced a stroke. A pressure-controlled treadmill utilizes a sealed chamber in which air pressure can be altered in a controlled manner to counteract the effects of gravity. The focus of this case study was to assess the immediate and short-term impact of a pressure-controlled treadmill to improve gait parameters, reduce fall risk, improve participation, and reduce the self-perceived negative impact of stroke in an individual with chronic stroke.
Case Description:
The subject was an 81-year-old man (14.5 months poststroke). He had slow walking speed, poor endurance, and multiple gait deviations.
Intervention:
The subject trained 4 times per week for 4 weeks (40 minutes per session) on a pressure-controlled treadmill (AlterG M320) to counter the influence of gravity on the lower extremities.
Outcomes:
Following training, self-selected gait speed increased from 0.50 m/s to 0.96 m/s, as measured by the 10-meter walk test. Stride length increased from 0.58 m to 0.95 m after training and to 1.00 m at 1-month follow-up. Peak hip flexion increased from 3.7° to 24.6° after training and to 19.4° at 1-month follow-up. Peak knee flexion increased from 19.4° to 34.3° after training and to 42.7° at 1-month follow-up. Measures of endurance, fall risk, and percentage of perceived recovery also were found to improve posttraining.
Discussion:
Training with a pressure-controlled treadmill may be a viable alternative to traditional body-weight-supported treadmill training for persons poststroke. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the role of pressure-controlled treadmill training in this population. Video abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A97).
