OBJECTIVE: To explore the secondary benefits of treadmill training for people in the chronic stage of recovery from stroke. DESIGN: Modified random assignment, matched-pair control group design with repeated measures. SETTING: Outpatient stroke centre. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty individuals post first stroke who acknowledged walking slower than pre stroke. Participants matched by side of hemiparesis and motor impairment. INTERVENTIONS: Twelve 20-minute sessions of walking on a treadmill or weekly phone call. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Depression (Beck Depression Index), mobility and social participation (Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 subscales) were assessed initially, at the end of 12 treatments (four weeks) and six weeks later. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between groups for any dependent measure. The ANOVA to investigate main effects in each group found no significant findings in the control group; however in the treatment group significant improvements over time for depression (p = 0.005, p < 0.001), mobility (p = 0.008) and social participation (p = 0.004) were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: A task-specific intervention designed to improve gait speed may potentially provide secondary benefits by positively impacting depression, mobility and social participation for people post stroke.

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