A Novel Mechanics-based Intervention to Improve Post-stroke Stability

Every year, approximately 15,000 American Veterans experience a stroke, with an estimated
cost of acute and follow-up care in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Following a stroke,
the restoration or improvement of walking is a high-ranking goal among patients, but only
about half of the population is able to return to typical levels of community ambulation. The
resultant decrease in independent mobility is strongly associated with a decline in quality
of life. Gait instability is a common contributor to limited mobility through either an
increased fall-risk or fear of falling, but current interventions to address post-stroke gait
instability have had limited success. This project will conduct initial testing of a novel
elastic force-field designed to improve post-stroke gait stability through targeted motor
learning. The results of these experiments will serve as the basis for the development of
novel gait rehabilitation techniques, which have the potential to increase the quality of
life of thousands of Veterans and save millions of dollars.

Inclusion Criteria:

- At least 21 years old

- Experience of a stroke 6 months prior to participation

- Preferred overground gait speed of at least 0.2 m/s

- Ability to walk at self-selected speed for 3 minutes without a cane or walker

- Provision of informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Resting heart rate above 110 beats/min

- Resting blood pressure higher than 200/110 mm Hg

- History of congestive heart failure, unstable cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy, severe aortic stenosis, angina or dyspnea at rest or during activities
of daily living

- Preexisting neurological disorders or dementia

- History of major head trauma

- Legal blindness or severe visual impairment

- Life expectancy <1 yr; 8)

- History of DVT or pulmonary embolism within 6 months

- Uncontrolled diabetes with recent weight loss, diabetic coma, or frequent insulin
reactions

- Orthopedic injuries or conditions (e.g. joint replacements) in the lower extremities
with the potential to alter the gait pattern.