Gait Stability After Stroke

The study will investigate gait stability in individuals post-stroke compared with age- and sex-matched healthy adults. Participants will undergo laboratory-based walking assessments under different environmental conditions, including level walking, uphill and downhill walking, and unexpected slip perturbations, with and without added cognitive, postural, and load-carrying tasks. The primary outcome measures will be the Margin of Stability (MOS), step width, and step width variability.

Inclusion Criteria - stroke group: * Discharge from regular rehabilitation * First unilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke affecting one of the cerebral hemispheres * More than 3 months post-stroke * Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥24 or cognitive ability to participate in the study * Ability to walk independently in the community without a walking aid * Moderate to mild balance impairment (Mini-BESTest score 16-25) * Sufficient cognitive and physical ability to participate * Ability to walk on a treadmill in intervals for up to 30 altogether Inclusion Criteria - healthy control group: * Age- and sex-matched to participants with stroke * Mini-BESTest score ≥ 16 * Sufficient cognitive and physical ability to participate * Ability to walk on a treadmill in intervals for up to 30 altogether Exclusion Criteria (both groups): * Musculoskeletal impairments affecting gait or balance * Severe cardiovascular disease or heart failure (NYHA Class III-IV) * Other neurological disorders