Ada 2003
| Methods | Parallel‐group design Concealed randomisation of participants by ranking the participants according to independent walking speed at baseline (from fastest to slowest) and then allocating each descending pair of participants by coin toss 14% drop outs at the end of treatment and 10% drop outs at the end of the follow‐up phase Outcome assessors were blinded to group allocation | |
| Participants | 14 participants in the EXP group and 15 participants in the CTL group Inclusion criteria: less than 5 years post stroke; first stroke; clinically diagnosed hemiparesis; aged 50 to 85 years; can walk 10 metres independently with a speed less than 1 m/s; discharged from rehabilitation Exclusion criteria: cardiovascular disease that would preclude participation in training (assessed by the participant's medical practitioner); severe cognitive deficits that would preclude participation in training | |
| Interventions | Treated as outpatients for 3 x 30‐minute sessions per week for 4 weeks Treadmill training (EXP): participants walk on a treadmill (no body weight support was provided using a harness) and complete some overground walking training (the proportion of overground training is gradually increased) Sham training (CTL): home‐based exercises based on written instructions with weekly telephone contact to review and update the exercises | |
| Outcomes | Assessed at baseline, after treatment phase and 3‐month follow‐up:
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| Notes | Obtained unpublished data by interview and correspondence with the trialists. | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Randomly allocated by coin toss to 1 of 2 groups |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | By an investigator independent of recruitment and measurement |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Assessor blinded |