Intervention
The gait was subsequently analysed during the following four conditions: 1. hemiparetic walking on the floor at self selected speed, 2. simulated walking on the machine at comparable speed, cadence, and stride length in a highly symmetric fashion, 3. stair climbing up for one flight at self-selected pace in alternate fashion, and 4. simulated stair climbing at comparable step rise and cadence.
The 10 m test helped to derive the mean basic cycle parameters to be set on the machine for each individual subject (condition #2). The time needed for a 10 m walking distance at self selected speed was taken with the help of a stop watch, and the number of steps counted. The speed (cadence) was calculated in m/sec (steps/min), the stride length (m) according to the formula: speed divided by twice the cadence. On the machine, the patients not only walked at comparable basic cycle parameters as on the floor, additionally in a highly physiological fashion as the limb-dependent cycle parameters, the gait symmetry, step height, the initial contact and toe off angles were set according to values of healthy subjects of comparable
height. The vertical (lateral) movement of the hip was set to 2 cm (2,5 cm) in all subjects.
To set the stair climbing condition parameters (#4), the patients climbed one flight in an alternate fashion, stair by stair. The time needed was taken, to calculate the speed (stairs/min), the normed step rise was 18 cm. The initial contact and toe off angles corresponded to the floor walking trajectory. The vertical (lateral) displacement of the hip was set to 5 cm (2,5 cm). There was no displacement of the trajectory in the forward or backward
direction.