GaitBetter: Motor and Cognitive Training for Gait Rehabilitation and Falls Prevention in Stroke Survivors.

Prior treatment

• Previous diagnosis of neurological diseases other than stroke

Other illness

• Cognitive impairment limiting the ability to understand and follow instructions (as assessed by a score \<23 on the Mini Mental State Examination)
• Recent history of lower extremity fractures (\<12 months ago), unhealed wounds
• Severe visual impairments (as assessed by the NIH Stroke Scale Visual Field subscale. score \>0)
• Subjects diagnosed with a medical condition that would interfere with their participation in regular sustained exercise (such as a severe pulmonary and/or cardiovascular condition)

Other

• Severe aphasia limiting the ability to express needs or discomfort verbally or non-verbally
• Current indication for isolation precautions (e.g. MRSA, VRE, C. difficile, and others)
• Hemispatial neglect (as assessed by the Line Bisection Test)
• For Aim 2: currently participating in a gait training intervention (PT or research)
• Adults with impaired decision-making capacity
• Women who are pregnant

• Male and females of age between 18 to 85 year of age
• History of one-sided ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke
  • Chronic: more than 6 months post-stroke (Aim 1 and Aim 2)
  • Subacute: within 8 weeks post-stroke (Aim 1 and Aim 3)
• Residual functional impairment of a lower extremity as a result of the stroke
• Ability to walk at least 15 meters with or without assistive devices (FIM walk subsection, levels 6 and 7)
• Ability to walk 3 consecutive minutes (5 minutes for Aim 2) on a treadmill at a speed equal to or greater than 0.22 m/s (0.8 km/h or 0.5 mph) with or without hand support.
• Medical clearance received from treating physician to participate in the gait training program proposed in the study