STABLE: a balance-first gait program for people after stroke
Official title: Stroke Training to Advance Balance during Locomotor Experiences (STABLE) Trial
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11272171 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A specialized treadmill training using a cable-driven robot to improve balance and walking for people after a stroke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $440,287 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD120378-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11272171 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic stroke who have gait and balance challenges and can safely participate in treadmill training.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a history of stroke or those unable to participate in treadmill walking may not benefit.
What this research studies
People living with chronic stroke often struggle with walking balance, which limits mobility. This project tests a gait training method that uses a Movement Amplification Environment to gently push the body’s balance while walking, aiming to speed up learning of better balance control. Real-time feedback and targeted lateral forces are applied to the pelvis during treadmill walking to challenge center-of-mass stability. The study will compare high-intensity training in this setup to a similar program without the movement amplification to see which yields better balance and functional walking. If successful, the approach could become a new option to help stroke survivors walk more confidently.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to better balance and easier walking for people after stroke, improving independence.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest feasibility and potential benefit, but larger trials are needed to confirm effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dusane, Shamali — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Dusane, Shamali
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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Multisensory support to improve standing balance after stroke
This project uses extra sensory feedback to help people with long-term stroke improve their standing balance.
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How the brain helps people keep standing balance as we age or after a stroke
This project measures brain activity while young adults, older adults, and people who have had a stroke do balance tasks to learn how the brain helps keep you steady.
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Understanding how the brain controls balance in older adults and stroke survivors
This study is looking at how the brain helps us keep our balance, especially in older adults and those who have had a stroke, to find better ways to help people who struggle with balance.
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Understanding How Stroke Affects Walking and Balance
This project aims to understand how the brain adjusts sensory information after a stroke to help people regain their ability to walk and keep their balance.
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.