---
title: "How is walking trained again after a stroke?"
description: "How walking is retrained after stroke: conventional physiotherapy, task-oriented practice and robotic gait training, and what the research shows."
date: 2026-10-25
canonical: https://drmotiva.com/en/questions/walking-after-stroke/
lang: en
---

# How is walking trained again after a stroke?

Walking depends on strength, balance, coordination, sensation and confidence. After a stroke, one or more of these can be affected, so walking training starts with understanding what limits each person.

## Assessment first

A physician and physiotherapist assess muscle strength, muscle tone and spasticity, joint mobility, balance, sensation, endurance and fall risk. Simple measures such as walking speed and walking distance help set goals and track change.

## Conventional physiotherapy

The basis of walking training is task-oriented practice: sitting-to-standing, weight shifting, standing balance, stepping and walking with the right amount of support. Repetition matters, because the brain relearns movements through practice. A review in The Lancet describes fitness training, high-intensity therapy and repetitive-task training as promising approaches for improving aspects of gait [1]. Orthoses (for example an ankle-foot orthosis) and walking aids may be used for safety.

## Robotic gait training

Electromechanical and robotic devices can support body weight and guide the legs, allowing many more steps per session than may otherwise be safe or possible. A Cochrane review of 62 trials found that people who received electromechanical-assisted gait training in combination with physiotherapy were more likely to achieve independent walking than people receiving physiotherapy alone; the benefit appeared mainly in the first three months after stroke and in people who could not walk at the start. Walking speed improved slightly, while walking capacity over six minutes did not change significantly [2].

Robotic training is therefore used as part of a programme, together with conventional physiotherapy, not as a replacement for it.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is robotic gait training suitable for everyone?** No. Suitability depends on the person’s medical condition, heart and blood pressure, bone and joint health, and goals. This is decided after examination.

**How long does walking training take?** It differs widely. Goals and progress are reviewed regularly, and the plan is adjusted.

See also: [Stroke guide](https://drmotiva.com/en/guides/stroke/) · [What can still change after a stroke?](https://drmotiva.com/en/questions/change-after-stroke/)

> **Please note:** NeuroRehabilitation results vary from person to person. What is possible for an individual depends on their condition, and any plan requires an individual medical assessment.

## Assessment and contact

This page is general health information and does not replace an in-person examination. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

[Write on WhatsApp](https://drmotiva.com/go/wa?l=en&t=&loc=questions_cta)

## Sources

1. Langhorne P, Bernhardt J, Kwakkel G. Stroke rehabilitation. Lancet. 2011. [PMID: 21571152](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21571152/)
2. Mehrholz J, et al. Electromechanical-assisted training for walking after stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020. [PMID: 33091160](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33091160/)