Responsiveness of Gait Assessment and Intervention Tool score towards Single Session Biomechanically Augmented Balance Training in Individuals with Stroke: A Pre-Post Study

In this study all the in-patients and out-patients diagnosed with Stroke and referred by the Physician for Physiotherapy was recruited as participants for the study. Patients was recruited confirming the eligibility criteria of the study and informed about the study and informed consent was taken prior to baseline assessments. Baseline assessment was taken prior to the test, after that weight bearing asymmetry was checked using the clinical method. Thenparticipants was prepared for G.A.I.T. Reflective marking tapes was placed on the bony landmarks (acromion process, lateral epicondyle, anterior superior iliac spine, posterior superior iliac spine, iliac crest, greater trochanter, lateral & medial condyle of tibia, apex of patella, medial & lateral malleolus and 1st & 5th metatarsal head) to aid for scoring from the video. Videos were recorded using two cameras positioned at frontal (anterior/posterior) and sagittal (lateral) views. One camera was placed 3 meters lateral to the mid-walkway on a stationary tripod, while the other was positioned at the end of a 10-meter walkway. Both cameras were focused to capture all relevant joints. Recordings took place in a well-lit, spacious area (5m × 10m) as shown in Figure 2. During the pre-test, participants walked the 10-meter path at a self-selected pace without the augmentation device. For training, participants used the augmentation device with weight cuffs on the affected limb, performing directional leg movements (AP, AM, AL, PA, PL, PM) and drag-walked forward, backward, and sideways. In the post-test, gait was reassessed without the device, and weight-bearing asymmetry was noted. Gait videos were analyzed using Kinovea software for 2D motion analysis, and scored using the G.A.I.T. (Gait Assessment and Intervention Tool).