Comparative study between effectiveness of Treadmill Training with partial body weight support and Physiotherapy Versus Treadmill training in improving gait ability of hemiparatic patients.

INTRODUCTION : Stroke may be manifested as Hemiplegia, which is the paralysis of muscles of one side of the body, contralateral to the side of the brain in which CVA occurred. Clinically a variety of deficits are possible including the changes in the level of consciousness, impairments of sensory, motor, cognitive, perceptual and language functions. The locations of lesion, the extent of lesion, and the amount of collateral blood flow and early acute care management determine the severity of neurological deficits. AIM : To compare the effectiveness of treadmill training with partial body weight support and physiotherapy in improving gait ability of stroke patients . Treadmill training alone. OBJECTIVES : 1. To determine the effect if treadmill training with partial body weight support and physiotherapy in improving gait ability of stroke patients in group A subjects. 2. To determine the effect of treadmill training alone in improving gait ability of stroke patients in group B. 3. To determine the difference between the effectiveness of treadmill training with partial body weight support and physiotherapy in improving gait ability of stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS : A total Number of 30 patient with stroke were selected by random sampling method with consideration of inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria and they were divided in to Group A and Group B. All patients participated in comprehensive 6 months Rehabilitation program • A three week baseline study consisted of daily physiotherapy, occupation therapy, speech and neuro physiological therapy according to individual needs. • During the subsequent 3 weeks of specific intervention. • Group A - Treadmill training with partial body weight support for 30 minutes 5 time a week plus single treatment session of physiotherapy for 40 minutes 5 times a week For 3 weeks. • Group B - Treadmill training with partial body weight support for 30 minutes 5 times a week for 3 weeks. RESULTS : This study has proved the 3 week combination of treadmill training with BWS and physiotherapy effected a large improvement of a gait ability of non-ambulatory hemi paretic subjects than an exclusive 3- week treadmill therapy with BWS. CONCLUSION : From the results of this study 3 weeks of treadmill training with BWS pulls physiotherapy accelerated the restoration of gait ability in chronic hemi paretic subjects; correspondingly, a focused and intense treatment regime including locomotion training seems most promising in gait rehabilitation after stroke. The result was analyzed using (mean/ mean difference) which proved that the use of treadmill training with partial body weight support combined with physiotherapy to be more effective in improving gait ability in hemi paretic patients