Individuals who have suffered strokes that resulted in paralysis or weakness of one side of the body often experience difficulty walking. A progressive treadmill exercise activates circuits in the brain that promote recovery of walking skills, according to the results of a trial published in the December issue of the journal Stroke .

Strokes can interfere with the control systems within the brain that are required for normal walking. Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and their colleagues studied 71 stroke patients over the age of 45 years who continued to have problems walking, even after completing conventional stroke rehabilitation. These patients were placed on either a stretching program or a treadmill exercise program that gradually increased in duration and intensity. The researchers found that the patients who were enrolled in the treadmill exercise program experienced improvements in their walking speed and cardiovascular fitness. The researchers also used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate brain function, and they found that training on a treadmill activated circuits within the brain which were associated with better walking.

The impaired ability to walk reduces mobility and fitness in stroke patients and also promotes the development of chronic disability. In this study, most of the participants had suffered their strokes many years before beginning the trial. Thus, the reported findings offer promise that it is possible for individuals with a remote history of stroke to regain their mobility, fitness, and independence.

Source

Stroke 2008;39:3341-3350.