Predictors for benefits of gait training interventions

Background and purpose: Stroke is the most common cause of adult disability. Novel rehabilitation therapies can provide substantial improvements even long after a stroke. Response to these therapies is variable and the predictors of response are unknown. For walking treadmill aerobic exercise training (T-EX) has been shown to enhance gait function and cardiovascular fitness. We hypothesized that lesion location and lesion size are such predictors. Methods: 20 subjects underwent a progressive graded aerobic treadmill exercise program (T-EX, 6 months, 3x/week, 10–45min per session) at 50% to 60% of heart rate rese…