Gait speed is limited but improves over the course of acute care physical therapy.

Background: Gait is a common focus of physical therapists' management of patients in acute care settings. Walking speed, the distance a patient covers per unit time, has been advocated as a "sixth vital sign." However, the feasibility of measuring walking speed and the degree to which walking speed is limited or improves over the course of therapy in the acute care setting are unclear.

Effect of botulinum toxin type A on gait of children who are idiopathic toe-walkers.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of botulinum toxin type A treatment on ankle muscle activity during gait of children who are idiopathic toe-walkers. Five children who were idiopathic toe-walkers with a mean age was 4.34 years participated.