HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: ptj.20050240v1 88/4/511    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miller, E. W Articles by Burch, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Miller, E. W Articles by Burch, A.

Running Training After Stroke: A Single-Subject Report

EW Miller, PT, PhD, is Professor of Physical Therapy and Executive Director, Center for Aging and Community, University of Indianapolis, 901 S Shelby, Indianapolis, IN 46203 (USA).
SA Combs, PT, MS, NCS, is Assistant Professor, Krannert School of Physical Therapy, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.
C Fish, PT, DPT, is a staff physical therapist, Rehabilitation Services, Elkhart General Hospital, Elkhart, Ind.
B Bense, PT, DPT, is a staff physical therapist, Rehabilitation Services, Columbus Regional Hospital, Columbus, Ind.
A Owens, PT, DPT, is a staff physical therapist, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Community Health Network, Indianapolis, Ind.
A Burch, PT, MS, is a staff physical therapist, Rehabilitation Services, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Chandler, Ariz.

emiller{at}uindy.edu

Background and Purpose: Although many people who have had a stroke are primarily interested in learning to walk, some are able to focus on a return to recreational and sporting activities. This study was carried out to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of the use of intensive task-oriented training in the body-weight–support/treadmill environment to improve running for a subject after stroke.

Subject: The subject was a 38-year-old man who had a stroke 2.5 years previously.

Methods: A single-subject design with baseline, intervention, immediate postintervention, and 6-month postintervention phases was conducted. Dependent variables included 25-m sprint time, single-leg balance, running step width, running step length ratio, Stroke Impact Scale, 6-minute walk test, and lower-extremity strength (force-generating capacity).

Results: At the 6-month postintervention phase, sprint speed, left single-leg balance, and step width changed significantly from the baseline phase. Step length ratio trended toward less symmetry but more consistency, and muscle strength improved more than 20% in 6 of 8 muscle groups in the involved lower extremity and 4 of 8 muscle groups in the uninvolved lower extremity.

Discussion and Conclusion: Intensive task-specific training was feasible and effective for retraining running ability in the study subject. He returned to recreational running, which provided him with a greatly improved outlook and a better quality of life.