Mechanically assisted walking, using devices such as treadmills or gait trainers, allows high-intensity, repetitive, task-specific practice that has the potential to improve walking. Previous reviews comparing treadmill training to overground walking have included trials where the amount of training was not standardised.
The latter is an important finding for people who have had a stroke and who are trying to incorporate walking training into their rehabilitation during lockdown. They can be assured that treadmill walking training is no less effective than overground walking. The added advantages include: it is readily adjustible in terms of speed and incline; it is not weather-dependent; and walking can be ceased anytime without being stranded away from home.
> From: Nascimento et al., J Physiother 67 (2021) 95-104 . All rights reserved to Australian Physiotherapy Association. Click here for the online summary.
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