Kinetic Gait Changes after Robotic Exoskeleton Training in Adolescents and Young Adults with Acquired Brain Injury.
Appl Bionics Biomech 2020;
2020:8845772. [PMID:
33193810 PMCID:
PMC7641681 DOI:
10.1155/2020/8845772]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is one of the leading causes of motor deficits in children and adults and often results in motor control and balance impairments. Motor deficits include abnormal loading and unloading, increased double support time, decreased walking speed, control, and coordination. These deficits lead to diminished functional ambulation and reduced quality of life. Robotic exoskeletons (RE) for motor rehabilitation can provide the user with consistent, symmetrical, goal-directed repetition of movement, as well as balance and stability.
Purpose
The goal of this preliminary prospective before and after study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of RE training on the loading/unloading and spatial-temporal characteristics in adolescents and young adults with chronic ABI.
Method
Seven participants diagnosed with ABI between the ages of 14 and 27 years participated in the study. All participants received twelve 45 minute sessions of RE gait training. The bilateral loading (linearity of loading and rate of loading), speed, step length, swing time, stance time, and total time were collected using Zeno™ walkway (ProtoKinetics, Havertown, PA, USA) before and after RE training.
Results
Results from the study showed improved step length, speed, and an overall progression towards healthy bilateral loading, with linearity of loading showing a significant therapeutic effect (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
These preliminary results suggest that high dose, repetitive, consistent gait training using RE has the potential to induce recovery of function in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with ABI.
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