Effect of handrail use while performing treadmill walking on the gait of stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate how the use of handrails during treadmill walking affects the gait parameters of stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] The participants, 30 hemiplegic stroke patients, were randomly allocated to one of three groups: the NHG group (No Handrail group, n=10), the FHG group (Front handrail group, n=10), and BHG group (Bilateral Handrail group, n=10). All the subjects' performed treadmill walking for 30 min, five days a week, for a period of eight weeks. Gait parameters were evaluated using the RS-scan system. [Results] A statistically significant difference in the HM (heel-medial) area of plantar foot pressure was observed between BHG and NHG. Statistically significant difference in the HL (heel-lateral) area of plantar foot pressure was observed between BHG and NHG, and between FHG and NHG. A statistically significant difference in contact area of the rear foot was observed between BHG and NHG. [Conclusion] The results of this study show that holding handrails during treadmill training may enhance the improvement in the quality of patients' gait (plantar foot pressure, contact area of foot).