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Exercise-mediated locomotor recovery and lower-limb neuroplasticity after stroke

Larry W. Forrester, PhD, et al.

Figure. Comparison between treadmill aerobic exercise (T-AEX) group and reference control (R-CONTROL) group for peak aerobic capacity across 6 months.

Many individuals with a stroke have weakness in one leg that causes them difficulties with walking. In this article, we review evidence that treadmill exercise training can improve walking in people with stroke. We suggest that discoveries being made about how the brain and nervous system change with arm therapies may also apply to recovery of leg function after stroke. We present examples of how the brain plays an important part in the control of leg muscles and walking and how this control may be changed by therapies, such as treadmill training to improve walking ability.


Volume 45 Number 2, 2008
Pages 205 — 220


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