Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters of Healthy and Stroke Patients During Overground, Treadmill, and Body Weight Supported Treadmill Walking

Stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability, with gait impairments being a prominent challenge that significantly affects functional independence. Accurate and reliable assessment of gait parameters is crucial for tailoring rehabilitation interventions. This study investigates the variability and reliability of spatiotemporal gait parameters, such as stride length, cadence, step time, and gait variability, across three distinct walking modalities:

• Overground walking
• Self paced treadmill walking
• Body weight supported treadmill walking The study employs a counterbalanced design, where each participant performs all three walking modalities, mitigating potential order effects and ensuring robust and reproducible comparisons. Advanced motion analysis systems are utilized to capture high-resolution data, providing insights into the dynamic interplay of gait variability and reliability under each condition.

A key innovation of this study is the use of an in-house, cost-effective Body Weight Support System (BWSS). Unlike commercially available systems, which are often prohibitively expensive, the BWSS is designed for accessibility in resource-limited settings, enabling widespread clinical and research applications. This approach aligns with the study's broader goal of improving healthcare equity by developing practical solutions tailored to local needs.

By analyzing the impact of different walking modalities on gait, the research aims to:

i. To analyze the variability and reliability of spatiotemporal gait parameters in stroke patients across overground, treadmill, and body weight supported treadmill walking (BWST).

ii. To identify the walking modality that exhibits the most consistent and stable gait metrics.

iii. To assess the clinical relevance of gait parameters from different walking modalities to optimize stroke rehabilitation interventions.

This research not only advances the understanding of stroke rehabilitation but also contributes to the global effort to make cutting-edge medical technologies accessible to underserved populations.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must be between 18 to 75 years old.
• More than 1- month post stroke patient.
• Participants must be able to walk with or without assistance.
• Patients including both the male and female.
• Participants must be able to provide informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Severe cognitive or communicative disorders.
• Significant joint malposition.
• Psychological, cognitive dysfunction, and any other neuromuscular problem.
• Pregnant women will be excluded to avoid any potential risks to the mother and fetus.
• Unstable cardiovascular disease like congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, coronary heart disease, previous history of heart attack or heart failure.