Movement-amplifying treadmill training to improve walking balance after stroke
Movement Amplification Gait Training to Enhance Walking Balance Post-Stroke
This project uses a treadmill system that gently amplifies side-to-side movements to help people with chronic stroke improve their walking balance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hines, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144445 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would walk on a treadmill while wearing a cable-driven system that applies gentle side-to-side forces tied to your natural sway, creating a Movement Amplification Environment (MAE). Researchers will compare training in the MAE with training that uses unpredictable sideways pushes to see how each changes your walking patterns. Sessions are delivered as high-intensity gait training and therapists will measure walking during and immediately after practice to see if improvements carry over. The team will also track whether delivering high-intensity training inside the MAE is practical and comfortable for participants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with chronic stroke who have walking balance problems and can safely walk on a treadmill.
Not a fit: People who cannot walk on a treadmill, have very recent or medically unstable strokes, or severe cognitive or medical issues are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve walking balance and reduce fall risk for people with chronic stroke.
How similar studies have performed: Perturbation-based balance training has shown benefits for reactive balance, but movement-amplification approaches that target anticipatory control are newer and less tested in people with stroke.
Where this research is happening
Hines, United States
- Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital — Hines, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gordon, Keith Edward — Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital
- Study coordinator: Gordon, Keith Edward
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 below.