Objective To explore the effect of progressive strength training with TheraBand on lower limb motor function and gait after stroke.Methods Forty-eight hemiplegic stroke survivors were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,each of 24.The patients of both groups were provided with the routine rehabilitation training,while the treatment group additionally trained the muscles of the paretic side progressively using Thera-Band elastic belts.Before and after 8 weeks of treatment,both groups were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer movement assessment (FMA),the Berg balance scale (BBS),and the walking and stair negotiation components of the functional independence measure (FIM).GaitWatch gait analysis was also performed.Results After the treatment,significant improvement was observed with both groups' average FMA scores,BBS ratings,FIM scores,stride frequency,stride length and walking speed,but the treatment group showed significantly greater improvement than the control group,on average.Conclusion Using Thera-Band elastic belts to provide resistance can supplement routine rehabilitation training in improving motor function and walking ability after a stroke.

Objective:To observe any effect of body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) combined with functional electrical stimulation (FES) on lower limb motor function and the walking ability of hemiplegic stroke survivors.Methods:Fifty-eight stroke survivors with hemiplegia were randomly divided into an FES group of 19, a BWSTT group of 19 and a combination group of 20. In addition to their early routine rehabilitation therapy, the FES and BWSTT groups were provided with the respective therapies, while the combination group received both. The three groups received 30 minutes of treatment a day, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the simplified version of the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for the lower extremities (FMA-LE), the 10-metre walk test (10MWT) and functional ambulation classification (FAC) were used to evaluate the subjects′ balance, lower-limb motor function, walking speed and walking function before and after the 8 weeks of treatment.Results:After the treatment, the average BBS, FMA-LE, 10MWT and FAC scores of all three groups had improved significantly, but the combination group′s averages were then significantly better than those of the other two groups.Conclusions:BWSTT combined with FES can best improve the balance, lower-limb motor functioning and walking of hemiplegic stroke survivors.