Prototype for Knee-load Relief through Ischiatic Support

Objective: The objective of this work was to develop a passive exoskeleton prototype for the relief of knee-load employing ischiatic body weight support. Methods and materials: A functional prototype was developed and tested with three volunteers to analyze its potential effectiveness and effects on gait kinematics. The performance of the prototype was assessed using motion capture and pressure mapping systems, and a testing bench for the study of ischiatic body weight. Results and discussion: The results of the tests indicate that the prototype allows reducing the load supported by the knees and does not have a significant effect on the kinematics of the hip and knee joints. The process allowed the designers to identify possibilities of improvement mainly on reducing the restrictions imposed by the prototype to the motion of the ankles, especially on the midstance of the support phase. Conclusions: The passive exoskeleton prototype developed for ischiatic body weight support allows setting different percentages of knee-load relief. The prototype does not have a significant effect on the kinematics of the hip and knee joints. Nevertheless, improvements must be performed to reduce the restrictions to the motion of the ankles.

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Design and Evaluation of the AIRGAIT Exoskeleton: Leg Orthosis Control for Assistive Gait Rehabilitation

Journal of Robotics ◽

10.1155/2013/535106 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mohd Azuwan Mat Dzahir ◽

Shin-Ichiroh Yamamoto

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Gait Training ◽

Training System ◽

The Body ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Knee Joints ◽

Actuation System ◽

Weight Support ◽

Full Capacity ◽

Muscle Actuators

This paper introduces the body weight support gait training system known as the AIRGAIT exoskeleton and delves into the design and evaluation of its leg orthosis control algorithm. The implementation of the mono- and biarticular pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs) as the actuation system was initiated to generate more power and precisely control the leg orthosis. This research proposes a simple paradigm for controlling the mono- and bi-articular actuator movements cocontractively by introducing a cocontraction model. Three tests were performed. The first test involved control of the orthosis with monoarticular actuators alone without a subject (WO/S); the second involved control of the orthosis with mono- and bi-articular actuators tested WO/S; and the third test involved control of the orthosis with mono- and bi-articular actuators tested with a subject (W/S). Full body weight support (BWS) was implemented in this study during the test W/S as the load supported by the orthosis was at its maximum capacity. This assessment will optimize the control system strategy so that the system operates to its full capacity. The results revealed that the proposed control strategy was able to co-contractively actuate the mono- and bi-articular actuators simultaneously and increase stiffness at both hip and knee joints.

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Effects of Backward Gait Training of Body Weight Support Treadmill Combined FES on Balance and Gait Ability of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Case Study

Archives of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy ◽

10.24332/aospt.2020.16.1.01 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Donghoon Kim ◽

Kyunghun Kim

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Body Weight ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Gait Training ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Weight Support

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The Effect of Treadmill and Body Weight Support Treadmill Training on Balance and Gait Ability in Hemiplegia Patients

The Journal of Korean Academy of Physical Therapy Science ◽

10.26862/jkpts.2018.03.25.1.31 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 31-43

Author(s):

Sung-Chul Kim ◽

Young-Goo Hur

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Treadmill Training ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Weight Support

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Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Body Weight Support System

Journal of Healthcare Engineering ◽

10.1155/2020/2802574 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Zhendong Song ◽

Wei Chen ◽

Wenbing Wang ◽

Guoqing Zhang

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Control Process ◽

Vertical Motion ◽

The Body ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Gait Rehabilitation ◽

Series Elastic Actuator ◽

Weight Support ◽

Support Force ◽

Body Weight Support System

This paper proposes a body weight support (BWS) system with a series elastic actuator (SEA) to facilitate walking assistance and motor relearning during gait rehabilitation. This system comprises the following: a mobile platform that ensures movement of the system on the ground, a BWS mechanism with an SEA that is capable of providing the desired unloading force, and a pelvic brace to smooth the pelvis motions. The control of the body weight support is realized by an active weight-offload method, and a dynamic model of the BWS system with offload mass of a human is conducted to simulate the control process and optimize the parameters. Preliminary results demonstrate that the BWS system can provide the desired support force and vertical motion of the pelvis.

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Effect of Uphill Running on VO2, Heart Rate and Lactate Accumulation on Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmills

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports9040051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 51

Author(s):

Daniel Fleckenstein ◽

Olaf Ueberschär ◽

Jan C. Wüstenfeld ◽

Peter Rüdrich ◽

Bernd Wolfarth

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Positive Pressure ◽

Lower Body ◽

Lactate Accumulation ◽

Biomechanical Stress ◽

Lower Body Positive Pressure ◽

Weight Support ◽

Body Positive

Lower body positive pressure treadmills (LBPPTs) as a strategy to reduce musculoskeletal load are becoming more common as part of sports conditioning, although the requisite physiological parameters are unclear. To elucidate their role, ten well-trained runners (30.2 ± 3.4 years; VO2max: 60.3 ± 4.2 mL kg−1 min−1) ran at 70% of their individual velocity at VO2max (vVO2max) on a LBPPT at 80% body weight support (80% BWSet) and 90% body weight support (90% BWSet), at 0%, 2% and 7% incline. Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate accumulation (LA) were monitored. It was found that an increase in incline led to increased VO2 values of 6.8 ± 0.8 mL kg−1 min−1 (0% vs. 7%, p < 0.001) and 5.4 ± 0.8 mL kg−1 min−1 (2% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). Between 80% BWSet and 90% BWSet, there were VO2 differences of 3.3 ± 0.2 mL kg−1 min−1 (p < 0.001). HR increased with incline by 12 ± 2 bpm (0% vs. 7%, p < 0.05) and 10 ± 2 bpm (2% vs. 7%, p < 0.05). From 80% BWSet to 90% BWSet, HR increases of 6 ± 1 bpm (p < 0.001) were observed. Additionally, LA values showed differences of 0.10 ± 0.02 mmol l−1 between 80% BWSet and 90% BWSet. Those results suggest that on a LBPPT, a 2% incline (at 70% vVO2max) is not yet sufficient to produce significant physiological changes in VO2, HR and LA—as opposed to running on conventional treadmills, where significant changes are measured. However, a 7% incline increases VO2 and HR significantly. Bringing together physiological and biomechanical factors from previous studies into this practical context, it appears that a 7% incline (at 80% BWSet) may be used to keep VO2 and HR load unchanged as compared to unsupported running, while biomechanical stress is substantially reduced.

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Oxygen consumption during treadmill walking with and without body weight support in patients with hemiparesis after stroke and in healthy subjects

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1053/apmr.2000.6283 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 81 (7) ◽

pp. 953-957 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

Anna Danielsson ◽

Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Treadmill Walking ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Weight Support

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Prosthesis Design for Bilateral Hip Disarticulation Management

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.664.423 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 664 ◽

pp. 423-428

Author(s):

Mauricio Plaza Torres ◽

William Aperador

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Lower Extremity ◽

Hip Joint ◽

Joint Capsule ◽

The Body ◽

Body Weight Support ◽

Patient Mobility ◽

Weight Support ◽

Crush Injuries ◽

High Level

Hip disarticulation is an amputation through the hip joint capsule, removing the entire lower extremity, with closure of the remaining musculature over the exposed acetabulum. Tumors of the distal and proximal femur were treated by total femur resection; a hip disarticulation sometimes is performance for massive trauma with crush injuries to the lower extremity. This article discusses the design a system for rehabilitation of a patient with bilateral hip disarticulations. The prosthetics designed allowed the patient to do natural gait suspended between parallel articulate crutches with the body weight support between the crutches. The care of this patient was a challenge due to bilateral amputations at such a high level and the special needs of a patient mobility.

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