In theory, that means these stroke patients should respond to split-belt treadmill training, Dr. Bastian says.

WSJ: Split-Belt Treadmill Therapy for Stroke Patients

In split-belt treadmill training, two bands moving at different speeds induce or exacerbate errors in walking.

WSJ: Split-Belt Treadmill Therapy for Stroke Patients

In an unpublished study of post-stroke patients, Dr. Bastian and collaborators showed that four weeks of split-belt treadmill training led to improved walking gait for three months.

WSJ: Split-Belt Treadmill Therapy for Stroke Patients

In the study published Friday, Dr. Bastian, Pablo Celnik from Johns Hopkins University and colleagues studied healthy individuals and whether brain stimulation and split-belt treadmill training, used simultaneously, can speed up progress in smoothing out walking gaits.

WSJ: Split-Belt Treadmill Therapy for Stroke Patients

The study exposed 40 healthy participants with a mean age of 27 to two minutes of slow split-belt walking, then to a 15-minute period in which one belt went much faster than the other so that participants began to drag one foot, simulating a limp.

WSJ: Split-Belt Treadmill Therapy for Stroke Patients

On the undercard, Stephen Smith won the Commonwealth featherweight belt with a split decision over John Simpson.

BBC: Ricky Burns takes world title from Roman Martinez