Gait rehabilitation with body weight-supported treadmill training for a blast injury survivor with traumatic brain injury

Background and purpose: Research supports the use of body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) in patients with hemi-paresis and may show promise as a gait training and neuromuscular re-education intervention in the blast-injured, traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. The purpose of this case study is to document the use BWSTT and goal-directed therapy in the improvement of gait quality, gait speed and maximum distance ambulated in a blast injury survivor with TBI.Case description: A 36-year-old male soldier injured by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq who began physical therapy and gait training incorporating purposeful postural stability and mobility interventions as well as BWSTT.Outcomes: Missouri Assisted Gait scores, six-minute walk distances, and maximum distance ambulated all increased post gait training with BWSTT as a component to PT intervention.Discussion: Intensive gait training including BWSTT may have some efficacy in managing significant blast trauma patients with TBI however, f...