Aims/hypothesisGait characteristics and balance are altered in diabetic patients. Little is known about possible treatment strategies. This study evaluates the effect of a specific training programme on gait and balance of diabetic patients.MethodsThis was a randomised controlled trial (n = 71) with an intervention (n = 35) and control group (n = 36). The intervention consisted of physiotherapeutic group training including gait and balance exercises with function-orientated strengthening (twice weekly over 12 weeks). Controls received no treatment. Individuals were allocated to the groups in a central office. Gait, balance, fear of falls, muscle strength and joint mobility were measured at baseline, after intervention and at 6-month follow-up.ResultsThe trial is closed to recruitment and follow-up. After training, the intervention group increased habitual walking speed by 0.149 m/s (p < 0.001) compared with the control group. Patients in the intervention group also significantly improved their balance (time to walk over a beam, balance index recorded on Biodex balance system), their performance-oriented mobility, their degree of concern about falling, their hip and ankle plantar flexor strength, and their hip flexion mobility compared with the control group. After 6 months, all these variables remained significant except for the Biodex sway index and ankle plantar flexor strength. Two patients developed pain in their Achilles tendon: the progression for two related exercises was slowed down.Conclusions/interpretationSpecific training can improve gait speed, balance, muscle strength and joint mobility in diabetic patients. Further studies are needed to explore the influence of these improvements on the number of reported falls, patients’ physical activity levels and quality of life.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00637546Funding:This work was supported by the Swiss National Foundation (SNF): PBSKP-123446/1/Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-009-1592-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.
Patients with diabetes are at higher risk of experiencing fall-related injuries when walking than healthy controls. The underlying mechanism responsible for this is not yet clear. Thus we intend to summarize diabetic patients' gait characteristics and emphasize those which could be the possible underlying mechanisms for increased fall risk. This systematic review aims, in particular, to: (1) evaluate the quality of existing studies which investigate the gait characteristics of diabetic patients, (2) highlight areas of agreement and contradiction in study results, (3) discuss and emphasize parameters associated with fall risk, and (4) propose new orientations and further domains for research needed for their fall risk prevention. We conducted an electronic search of Pedro, PubMed, Ovid and Cochrane. Two authors independently assessed all abstracts. Quality of the selected articles was scored, and the study results summarized and discussed. We considered 236 abstracts of which 28 entered our full text review. Agreement on data quality between two reviewers was high (kappa: 0.90). Authors investigating gait parameters in a diabetic population evaluated in particular parameters either associated with fall risk (speed, step length or step-time variability) or with ulcers (pressure). There is agreement that diabetic patients walk slower, with greater step variability, and present higher plantar pressure than healthy controls. We concluded that diabetic patients present gait abnormalities, some of which can lead to heightened fall risk. To understand its' underlying mechanisms, and to promote efficient prevention, further studies should analyse gait under 'real-life' conditions.
Lateral ankle sprains represent the most common sports-related injuries. The Nintendo Wii Fit™ could be useful in the treatment of ankle sprains. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of exercise training using the Wii Fit™ in ankle sprain patients: (a) with physical therapy; and (b) a control group not receiving any treatment. Ninety lateral ankle sprain patients were randomized to a Wii Fit™, physical therapy, or control group. We assessed the following outcome measures before, and 6 weeks after starting the allocated treatment: Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, pain during rest and walking, delay before return to sport, patient satisfaction, and effectiveness of the allocated treatment. Six weeks after the baseline measures, foot and ankle ability scores had improved in all groups, and pain had decreased during walking (P < 0.050). No between-group differences were detected between Wii Fit™ treatment, and both other groups (P > 0.050). In conclusion, the Wii Fit™ could be used as an exercise therapy to treat ankle sprain patients. However, Wii Fit™ was not more effective than only physical therapy, or no exercise therapy at all. Patients who did not receive treatment showed similar results as people who got any kind of exercise therapy
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