Mechanically assisted walking with body weight support results in more independent walking and better walking ability compared with usual walking training in non-ambulatory adults early after stroke: a systematic review.

Questions: In subacute, non-ambulatory individuals after stroke, does mechanically assisted walking with body weight support result in more independent walking or better walking ability than usual walking training in the short term? Are any benefits maintained in the longer term? Is it detrimental to walking in terms of walking speed?

Design: A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised studies with a Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score > 4.

Participants: Non-ambulatory adults ≤ 12 weeks after stroke.

Intervention: Any type of mechanically assisted walking with body weight support.

Backward walking training is as effective as or better than forward walking training for improving walking speed after stroke: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective: In people who have had stroke, are the effects of backward walking comparable with forward walking for improving walking (i.e. speed, cadence, and stride length)? Does the addition of backward walking to forward walking help improve the benefits of forward walking? Are any benefits maintained beyond intervention?

Methods: A systematic review of randomized trials, with adults following stroke, was developed.

Pelvic floor muscle training for urinary symptoms, vaginal prolapse, sexual function, pelvic floor muscle strength, and quality of life after hysterectomy: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

Background: After hysterectomy, women could experience pelvic floor dysfunction and negative impact on quality of life, which could be improved by pelvic floor muscle training.

Objective: To investigate effects of pelvic floor muscle training on urinary symptoms, vaginal prolapse, sexual function, pelvic floor muscle strength, and quality of life after hysterectomy.

Methods: Systematic review with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.

Test-Retest Reliability, Clinical Usefulness, and Telephone Application of the Work Limitation Questionnaire in Individuals Who Returned to Work After Stroke.

Purposes: To measure the test-retest reliability and the clinical usefulness of the Work Limitation Questionnaire, and to compare the in-person with the telephone application.

Methods: Cross-sectional, exploratory study. The Work Limitation Questionnaire was answered three times: twice in person, to measure test-retest reliability and clinical usefulness, and once, by telephone, to measure the validity of the telephone application.

Mobilization with movement is effective for improving ankle range of motion and walking ability in individuals after stroke: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Mobilization with movement has been recommended to improve foot mobility in people with ankle impairments and could improve walking after stroke.

Objective: To examine the effects of the addition of mobilization with movement to commonly used exercises in physiotherapy for improving ankle range of motion and walking in people who have had a stroke.

Design: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Walking training with auditory cueing improves walking speed more than walking training alone in ambulatory people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

Questions: In people with Parkinson's disease, what is the effect of adding external cueing (ie, visual, auditory or somatosensorial cueing) to walking training compared with walking training alone in terms of walking, mobility, balance, fear of falling and freezing? Are any benefits carried over to participation or maintained beyond the intervention period?

Design: Systematic review of randomised trials with meta-analysis.

Participants: Ambulatory adults with Parkinson's disease.

Intervention: Walking training with external cueing compared with walking training without external cueing.

Inspiratory Training for Improving Respiratory Strength, Pulmonary Function, and Walking in Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of inspiratory strength training on respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, and walking capacity in children with cerebral palsy, with Gross Motor Function Classification System I to III.

Methods: Searches were conducted in CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases. The outcomes of interest were respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, and walking capacity.

Procedures and measurement properties of the 6-min step test: A systematic review with clinical recommendations.

Objective: To provide information regarding the procedures, safety, tolerability, and measurement properties of the 6-min step test.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus (from inception until January 2024).

Review Methods: Studies that examined adults with acute or chronic diseases, and outcomes related to procedures, safety, tolerability, or measurement properties of the 6-min step test were included.

R3-Walk and R6-Walk, Simple Clinical Equations to Accurately Predict Independent Walking at 3 and 6 Months After Stroke: A Prospective, Cohort Study.

Objective: To investigate if independent walking at 3 and 6 months poststroke can be accurately predicted within the first 72 hours, based on simple clinical bedside tests.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study with 3-time measurements: immediately after stroke, and 3 and 6 months poststroke.

Setting: Public hospital.

Addition of backward walking training to forward walking training improves walking speed in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

The objective was to examine the effects of backward walking training for improving walking speed and balance in children with cerebral palsy. A systematic review of randomized trials was conducted. Trials had to include children with cerebral palsy, with a Gross Motor Function Classification System, between I and III, that delivered backward walking training as a solo intervention or in combination with forward walking training.

Manual Therapy Applied to the Cervial Joint Reduces Pain and Improves Jaw Function in Individuals with Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review on Manual Therapy for Orofacial Disorders.

Aims: To examine the effect of manual therapy applied to the cervical joint for reducing pain and improving mouth opening and jaw function in people with TMDs.

Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was performed. Participants were adults diagnosed with TMDs.

Walking speed, hip muscles strength, aerobic capacity, and self-perceived locomotion ability most explain walking confidence after stroke: a cross-sectional experimental study.

Identifying the determinants of walking confidence can be crucial in therapeutic terms. On these bases, interventions to improve these factors could improve, in turn, walking confidence. Objective is to explore the relationship between motor impairments and activity limitation measures and walking confidence in people with chronic stroke.

Walking confidence and perceived locomotion ability explain participation after stroke: A cross-sectional experimental study.

Objective: To explore the relationship between walking measurements (i.e., walking speed, walking performance and walking confidence), and participation in ambulatory people with chronic stroke.

Home-based is as effective as centre-based rehabilitation for improving upper limb motor recovery and activity limitations after stroke: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to examine the effects of home-based exercises in comparison with centre-based exercises for improving the paretic upper limb after stroke.

Data Sources: AMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and PEDro databases.

Review Methods: Only randomized clinical trials were included.

Home-based exercises are as effective as equivalent doses of centre-based exercises for improving walking speed and balance after stroke: a systematic review.

Questions: In people who have had a stroke, how comparable are the effects of home-based exercises with those of equivalent centre-based exercises for improving walking speed, balance, mobility and participation? Is the comparability of the effects of these two types of exercise maintained beyond the intervention period?

Design: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Search Strategy: Searches were conducted on MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsycINFO and PEDro databases, without date or language restrictions.

Participants: Participants in the reviewed studies were ambulatory adults at any time after stroke.

Walking speed and home adaptations are associated with independence after stroke: a population-based prevalence study.

This study aimed at estimating the prevalence of stroke in older adults in Brazil, and at identifying the sociodemographic, health-related, health service-related, and environmental factors associated with independence in daily activities. Across-sectional, population-based study (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging 2015-2016) was conducted. 536 individuals (≥ 50 years), from 9,412 participants, have had stroke and were included.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in addition to walking training on walking, mobility, and reduction of falls in Parkinson's disease: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has the potential to modulate cortical excitability and enhance the effects of walking training in people with Parkinson's disease. This study will examine the efficacy of the addition of tDCS to a task-specific walking training to improve walking and mobility and to reduce falls in people with Parkinson's disease.

Methods: This is a two-arm, prospectively registered, randomized trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors, participants and therapists, and intention-to-treat analysis.

Home-Based Interventions may Increase Recruitment, Adherence, and Measurement of outcomes in Clinical Trials of Stroke Rehabilitation.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the completion rates of a home-based randomized trial, which examined home-based high-intensity respiratory muscle training after stroke compared with sham intervention.

Materials And Methods: Completion was examined in terms of recruitment (enrolment and retention), intervention (adherence and delivery of home-visits) and measurement (collection of outcomes).

Results: Enrolment was 32% and retention was 97% at post-intervention and 84% at follow-up.

Test-retest reliability and measurement error of the modified gait efficacy scale in individuals with stroke.

Purpose: To investigate the test-retest reliability and measurement error of the Brazilian version of the modified Gait Efficacy scale (mGES-Brazil) in individuals who have had stroke.

Methods: The mGES-Brazil was applied on two occasions, five to seven days apart, in a research laboratory setting. Test-retest reliability and measurement error, which included the standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), and analysis of the limits of agreement by the Bland-Altman plots, were examined.

Transcranial direct current stimulation provides no clinically important benefits over walking training for improving walking in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

Questions: Does walking training combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improve walking (ie, speed, cadence and step length) and reduce falls and freezing, compared with no/sham intervention, in people with Parkinson's disease? Is walking training combined with tDCS superior to walking training alone? Are any benefits carried over to social participation and/or maintained beyond the intervention period?

Design: A systematic review with meta-analyses of randomised clinical trials.

Participants: Ambulatory adults with a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

Intervention: tDCS combined with walking training.

Using a cane for one month does not improve walking or social participation in chronic stroke: An attention-controlled randomized trial.

Objective: To examine the effects of the provision of a cane, delivered to ambulatory people with chronic stroke, for improving walking and social participation.

Design: Two-arm, randomized trial.

Setting: Community-based.