How stroke and Botox affect ankle stiffness during walking
Official title: Functional implications of stroke and Botulinum Neurotoxin on ankle stiffness and viscosity during gait
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11323537 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how stroke and Botox (Botulinum Neurotoxin) change ankle stiffness and resistance during walking in people with gait problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $641,158 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD111567-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323537 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have had a stroke and now have walking problems or abnormal ankle stiffness, including those who have received or are considering Botox injections, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without stroke-related gait issues, children, or those unable to travel to the study site may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will measure how your ankle behaves during walking using sensors and movement tests to estimate joint stiffness and viscosity. They will compare the affected and less-affected legs and study people who have had Botox injections to see how those treatments change ankle mechanics. Measurements may include walking on a treadmill, brief safe mechanical perturbations, and recordings of muscle activity and motion. The team will use these data to link internal joint mechanics to the walking problems you experience and to guide better treatment choices in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help doctors choose and time treatments like Botox or therapy so walking works better after stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown mixed and sometimes surprising results about ankle stiffness after stroke and the effects of Botox, so this work builds on limited existing findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krishnan, Chandramouli — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Krishnan, Chandramouli
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Movement-Enhanced Walking Training to Improve Balance After Stroke
A specialized treadmill training using a cable-driven device, called Movement Amplification Environment (MAE), helps people with chronic stroke improve walking balance by enhancing their own movement awareness.
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Teleassessment of gait and balance after stroke to expand remote rehabilitation
A multi-site study tests simple remote gait and balance tests for stroke survivors to enable safer, easier rehabilitation from home.
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MINT conditioning to improve post-stroke walking with a wearable device
A wearable, wireless EMG-based system called MINT helps people who’ve had a stroke re-train leg muscles to walk more easily, especially at home.
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Characterization of how stroke affects both ankles during standing and walking
This grant studies how stroke changes ankle movement in both legs during standing and walking to help improve posture and gait for stroke survivors.
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Immersive VR Overground Gait Rehab for Stroke Survivors
A study tests an immersive virtual reality program to help stroke survivors practice walking in real-world-like settings.
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Better Electrical Stimulation for Walking After Stroke
This project is developing a smarter electrical stimulation device to help people walk more easily after a stroke, especially those who experience footdrop.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.