What is High Intensity Gait Training (HIGT)?
High Intensity Gait Training (HIGT) is a type of therapy with the goal of taking a lot of steps (walking or stepping) in a way that is challenging enough to increase your heart rate into a target zone. The zone is determined based on your age and maximum heart rate and can be calculated by your physical or occupational therapist. While you are exercising, it should feel like you are working at a pace that is moderately challenging or hard. Your heart rate should be 70-85% of your maximum heart rate. If you take medications that impact your heart’s response to exercise, you can monitor your intensity using a special scale.
Modified Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion |
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|---|---|---|
| Rating | Level | Description |
| 0 | No effort | Your body is still (seated, standing, on your back) – You are exerting no effort |
| 1 | Minimum effort | Bare minimum exertion; a gentle stroll in your backyard – could continue all day |
| 2 | Light and easy | Very gentle and easy to maintain a conversation – could continue for hours |
| 3 | Comfortable pace | Able to maintain a conversation without getting out of breath |
| 4 | Comfortable pace with some effort | Slight “push” but still at a pace which you could speak a few sentences without struggling |
| 5 | Progressive pace | A pace that requires some pushing and effort to maintain; still able to hold a conversation |
| 6 | Hard activity | Labored breathing, challenging and uncomfortable but sustainable for 30–60 minutes |
| 7 | Vigorous activity | Can speak in short sentences; becomes uncomfortable quickly |
| 8 | Hard intensity | Hard to say more than 2–3 words |
| 9 | Very hard intensity | Hard to speak, breathing labored after a few seconds, good for 1 minute intervals |
| 10 | All out sprint | The maximum possible effort, sustainable for just 20–30 seconds |
Why do HIGT?
HIGT is backed by research and is shown to improve your brain’s ability to re-form connections after a neurologic injury, such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, or Parkinson’s Disease. This idea of reforming brain connections after injury is known as neuroplasticity.
HIGT can improve your walking speed and quality, endurance, balance, and your ability to complete transfers. High intensity gait training can improve motivation, as well as help with symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is also a great way to improve heart health and reduce risk of stroke!
Who can benefit from HIGT?
Many neurologic conditions can benefit from high intensity gait training. Some examples include:
- Stroke
- Brain Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Parkinson’s Disease
Talk to your physical or occupational therapist to find out if HIGT is the right fit for you and to learn how to complete HIGT safely.
How do you increase intensity during HIGT?
There are endless ways to increase intensity and challenge during gait training! Some ideas you might see include:
- Adding weights to arms, legs, or body
- Doing another task while walking/stepping (dual tasking)
- Adding obstacles
- Changing directions
- Increasing resistance
- Increasing speed
- And many more!
Your therapists are experts at finding creative and meaningful ways to challenge you and help you meet your goals.