Rehabilitation of gait and balance after CNS damage

Abstract

This chapter discusses the importance of basic and clinical science for the rehabilitation of patients with stroke or SCI (spinal cord injury). Examples are given from novel approaches in rehabilitation. Insights can be obtained by investigating normal locomotor or postural activity but it is argued that the use of more challenging locomotor tasks can provide much needed additional information. To update rehabilitation tools it is also essential to keep track of new technological developments and new assessment tools. Careful assessments, based on advanced 3D recordings of posture and gait, can assist in making proper decisions about planned interventions, aimed at alleviating some clinical symptoms such as spasticity. With respect to training, the focus here is on general principles of sensorimotor rehabilitation of gait and posture. Learning is context dependent. The consequence is that current rehabilitation approaches need to emphasize that training should be ‘task-oriented training’, and should involve the whole body.