Gait training to improve walking balance after stroke
Official title: Movement Amplification Gait Training to Enhance Walking Balance Post-Stroke
Run by VA Office of Research and Development · NCT06400186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new robotic device to see if it can help people who have had a stroke improve their walking balance better than regular balance training.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development Federal |
| Locations | 2 sites (Chicago, Illinois and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 15, 2024 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 14, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06400186 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are individuals with chronic stroke who can ambulate over ground and have weakness on one side.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with cognitive impairments, severe spasticity, or other neurological conditions affecting gait may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This project aims to enhance walking balance in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke by employing a novel robotic device that amplifies self-generated movements during treadmill walking. The intervention focuses on creating a Movement Amplification Environment (MAE) that challenges balance by applying lateral forces to the pelvis, promoting anticipatory balance control. The study will evaluate the effects of this training on gait patterns and walking balance, comparing it to traditional balance training methods. The goal is to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of MAE training in improving mobility and quality of life for stroke survivors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly improve walking balance and mobility for patients recovering from stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promise in using robotic devices for gait training, but this specific approach using a Movement Amplification Environment is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * History of chronic stroke (more than 6 months post-stroke) with weakness on one side * Ability to ambulate over ground for 10 meters with or without a single cane, and/or ankle-foot orthosis * Ability to tolerate 10 minutes of standing Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of cognitive impairment (score of 22/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA)) * Presence of aphasia (score of 71/100 on the Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test (MAST)) * Excessive spasticity in lower limbs (score of \> 3 on the Modified Ashworth Scale * Severe cardiovascular and pulmonary disease affecting gait and balance * History of recurrent fractures or known orthopedic problems in the lower extremities (i.e. heterotopic ossification) affecting gait and balance * Concomitant central or peripheral neurological injury (i.e. traumatic head injury or peripheral nerve damage in lower limbs) affecting gait and balance * Evidence of cerebellar ataxia * Presence of unhealed decubiti or other skin compromise * Enrollment in concurrent physical therapy or research involving gait or balance training * Use of braces/orthotics crossing the knee joint * Known pregnancy
Where it's running
-
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL
Hines, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Keith Edward Gordon, PhD — Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL
- Study coordinator: Keith E Gordon, PhD
- Email: Keith.Gordon2@va.gov
- Phone: (708) 202-8387
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.