Task Oriented Gait Training

Safe and independent gait is one of the most important physical function of human. Gait training is essential to people with gait difficulty. Although there are many types of gait training strategy, there are no consensus on which one is the best.

Gait training strategy can be divided into compensatory approaches and restorative approaches. Although people with severe impairment wish to restore normal walking, it is too difficult to use their involved body part normally in gait. Also, people use compensatory approaches in gait even in training session. Therefore forced use of involved body part is indispensable in gait training to

people with severe impairment.

This book introduces new gait training frame which uses forced use of affected body part. First, strengthening of weakened muscle, second, step up with affected lower limb, third, step down with weight support with affected lower limb, and fourth is step down touch. Actual gait training starts after people can support their body weight and maintain balance with affected lower limb, without using hand.

With this approach, people can restore impaired body function, regain more normal gait, and can

reach optimal outcome.

Yang-Soo Lee, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University.