It is common for clients with neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injury, stroke and multiple sclerosis to regain the ability to walk but still experience difficulties with increasing their walking speed, return to running, jumping, hopping or navigating a flight of stairs. Returning to occupational or sporting activities, hobbies, accessing the community and crossing roads can remain difficult. Regaining these skills necessitates different therapy to gait retraining as the biomechanics in running differ, and the physical requirements for power, coordination, and core stability are greater. Whilst strength training is effective in improving muscle weakness, it is not sufficient in improving running mechanics.  

Running retraining does not only target individualized impairments such as spasticity, poor balance, coordination and proximal stability but a key component of this rehabilitation focuses on improving the low muscle power generation from weak muscles that are required for forward propulsion in walking and running. Ballistic or ‘fast’ resistance exercises are utilized to improve muscle power generation of these muscles and research shows it is safe and feasible for the neurological client. This is progressed into function with overground running drills, alongside agility retraining.  

Our therapists who lead the running group have completed Prof Gavin Williams’ High Level Mobility Course. Gavin developed the high-level mobility assessment tool (HiMAT) which is an outcome measure that is used across neurological practices to quantify motor performance in individuals with high level balance and mobility deficits. Read more information about our running group here.