Author(s)

Styliani Fotiadou¹, Ioannis Kouroumichakis², Thomas Besios³, Nikolaos Papanas⁴, Erasmia Giannakou¹, Vassilios Gourgoulis¹, Nikolaos Aggeloussis¹

¹Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece.
²Private Internal Medicine Office, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
³Department of Physical Therapy, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece.
⁴Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.

Introduction : In 2014, American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) issued exercise guidelines for stroke patients. Aim of the Study: To study the effects of an exercise programme based on AHA/ ASA guidelines, on gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with chronic ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: Twelve stroke patients, 67.33 ± 9.14 years old, followed an 8-week exercise programme, with 3 hourly sessions per week, consisting of strength, endurance and flexibility training, as well as neuromuscular activities. Patients’ gait kinematics and kinetics were evaluated before and after the intervention using a 3-dimensional gait analysis system. Results: In most cases, patients in the intervention group showed significant increase or no change in gait kinematics, significant increase in joint moments at the anterior-posterior plane during support phase, and non-signi- ficant change in the frontal and transverse planes kinetics. Conclusions: Exercise prevented further deterioration and/or led to improved walking pattern.

Stroke, Exercise, Rehabilitation, Gait Analysis

Fotiadou, S. , Kouroumichakis, I. , Besios, T. , Papanas, N. , Giannakou, E. , Gourgoulis, V. and Aggeloussis, N. (2019) Effect of Exercise on Gait Kinematics and Kinetics in Patients with Chronic Ischaemic Stroke. Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 7, 140-150. doi: 10.4236/ojtr.2019.74010.