Authors :
Sourav Mitra; Saptarshi Mondal; Sunayana Ghosh Dostider; Paramita Biswas
Volume/Issue :
ICVDRS 2026
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/5fdyyx7p
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/4c4whj9a
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun1589
Abstract :
Background
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with gait dysfunction being a major
contributor to reduced functional independence and restricted participation in daily activities. In the chronic phase of
stroke recovery, functional improvement is often presumed to plateau, resulting in reduced emphasis on intensive
rehabilitation. However, advances in neuroscience have demonstrated that the adult central nervous system retains the
capacity for experience-dependent neuroplasticity beyond the acute and subacute stages. Task-oriented gait training,
grounded in motor learning principles and cortical reorganization, focuses on repetitive, goal-directed, and contextspecific walking activities that closely simulate real-life functional demands.
Objectives
To evaluate the effect of a structured task-oriented gait training program on functional mobility and gait
performance in a chronic stroke survivor with residual hemiparetic gait.
Methods
This case study involved a chronic stroke survivor who underwent a six-week task-oriented gait training program.
The intervention consisted of overground walking, obstacle negotiation, step training, directional changes, and walking
speed modulation, with progressive task complexity based on performance and tolerance. Functional mobility and gait
performance were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized outcome measures, including the Timed
Up and Go Test (TUG), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC).
Results
Post-intervention assessment demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in functional mobility, gait speed,
balance, and ambulation independence. Reductions in TUG completion time, increased walking speed on the 10MWT, and
improved FAC scores indicated enhanced gait efficiency, dynamic balance, and functional walking ability following the
task-oriented training program.
Conclusion
The findings of this case study suggest that task-oriented gait training is effective in improving functional mobility
and gait performance in a chronic stroke survivor. The results support the continued application of intensive, task-specific
rehabilitation strategies in the chronic phase of stroke and highlight the role of neuroplastic mechanisms in facilitating
late-stage functional recovery.
Keywords :
Chronic Stroke; Task-Oriented Training; Gait Rehabilitation; Functional Mobility; Neuroplasticity; Physiotherapy.
Background
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with gait dysfunction being a major
contributor to reduced functional independence and restricted participation in daily activities. In the chronic phase of
stroke recovery, functional improvement is often presumed to plateau, resulting in reduced emphasis on intensive
rehabilitation. However, advances in neuroscience have demonstrated that the adult central nervous system retains the
capacity for experience-dependent neuroplasticity beyond the acute and subacute stages. Task-oriented gait training,
grounded in motor learning principles and cortical reorganization, focuses on repetitive, goal-directed, and contextspecific walking activities that closely simulate real-life functional demands.
Objectives
To evaluate the effect of a structured task-oriented gait training program on functional mobility and gait
performance in a chronic stroke survivor with residual hemiparetic gait.
Methods
This case study involved a chronic stroke survivor who underwent a six-week task-oriented gait training program.
The intervention consisted of overground walking, obstacle negotiation, step training, directional changes, and walking
speed modulation, with progressive task complexity based on performance and tolerance. Functional mobility and gait
performance were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized outcome measures, including the Timed
Up and Go Test (TUG), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC).
Results
Post-intervention assessment demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in functional mobility, gait speed,
balance, and ambulation independence. Reductions in TUG completion time, increased walking speed on the 10MWT, and
improved FAC scores indicated enhanced gait efficiency, dynamic balance, and functional walking ability following the
task-oriented training program.
Conclusion
The findings of this case study suggest that task-oriented gait training is effective in improving functional mobility
and gait performance in a chronic stroke survivor. The results support the continued application of intensive, task-specific
rehabilitation strategies in the chronic phase of stroke and highlight the role of neuroplastic mechanisms in facilitating
late-stage functional recovery.
Keywords :
Chronic Stroke; Task-Oriented Training; Gait Rehabilitation; Functional Mobility; Neuroplasticity; Physiotherapy.
