Treadmill Sideways Gait Training with Visual Blocking for Patients with Brain Lesions

Purpose] The aim of this study was to verify the effect of sideways treadmill training with and without visual blocking on the balance and gait function of patients with brain lesions. Subjects] Twenty-four stroke and traumatic brain injury subjects participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group (12 subjects) and a control group (12 subjects). Methods] Each group executed a treadmill training session for 20 minutes, three times a week, for 6 weeks. The sideways gait training on the treadmill was performed with visual blocking by the experimental group and with normal vision by the control group. A Biodex Gait Trainer 2 was used to assess the gait function. It was used to measure walking speed, walking distance, step length, and stance time on each foot. The Five-Times-Sit-To-Stand test (FTSST) and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) were used as balance measures. Results] The sideways gait training with visual blocking group showed significantly improved walking speed, walking distance, step length, and stance time on each foot after training; FTSST and TUG times also significantly improved after training in the experimental group. Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed significant increases in stance time on each foot. Conclusion] Sideways gait training on a treadmill with visual blocking performed by patients with brain lesions significantly improved their balance and gait function.Key words: Brain lesions, Treadmill training, Visual block