Description

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability, leaving many survivors with persistent motor and gait impairments such as muscle weakness, poor coordination, stiffness, and balance deficits. These problems often manifest as trunk and pelvic asymmetry, postural imbalance, and impaired weight shifting, resulting in abnormal gait patterns and reduced independence in daily life. Such limitations highlight the urgent need for effective, evidence-based rehabilitation strategies.

Power training, which emphasizes high-velocity resistance exercises, has been shown to enhance torque development in the paretic limb and improve walking speed, endurance, and spatiotemporal gait parameters in chronic stroke survivors. Similarly, high-intensity gait training (HIGT), which involves repetitive walking at challenging intensities, has demonstrated improvements in gait quality, endurance, and lower-limb biomechanics, particularly when integrated with robotic exosuits or structured clinical protocols. Both interventions have proven effective in enhancing functional mobility and quality of life.

However, research on the combined effects of power training and HIGT remains limited. This study aims to address this gap by examining how their synergistic application can optimize locomotion, reduce long-term disability, and promote social reintegration in individuals with chronic stroke. By providing evidence for more effective rehabilitation protocols, the findings have the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and advance clinical practice.