Negative reinforcement as stroke rehabilitation

Negative Reinforcement - Does it Work?
In 2008 I took a week long canoe trip to the BWCA with Wilderness Inquiry trying to get in thousands of canoe strokes to recover that part. Since we moved everyday we had to go over 6-8 portages each day. I was not wearing my AFO because I kneel when I canoe so I was going over the rough portages with no brace on(which my PT scolded me about later) Because I was not able to clear the foot completely my foot would bang into rocks and tree roots hundreds of times each day. This turned out to be extremely painful since I had an ingrown big toenail on my affected foot.
My learning on this was that negative reinforcement was not enough to learn to lift my foot properly.
I also remember talking to and slapping my hand to get it to work, but that didn't work either. I guess the brain in my hand muscles does not understand English.
Don't try this at home.