Abnormal Synergistic Gait Mitigation after Acute Stroke Using an Innovative Ankle-Knee-Hip Interlimb Humanoid Robot: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chanhee Park ◽  
Mooyeon Oh-Park ◽  
Amy Bialek ◽  
Kathleen Friel ◽  
Dylan Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Humanoid Robot ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
Gait Patterns ◽  
Gait Biomechanics ◽  
Gait Kinematics ◽  
Abnormal Gait ◽  
Knee Joint Kinematics ◽  
Hemiparetic Stroke

Abstract Abnormal spasticity and associated synergistic patterns are the most common neuromuscular impairments affecting ankle-knee-hip interlimb coordinated gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with hemiparetic stroke. Although patients with hemiparetic stroke undergo various treatments to improve gait and movement, it remains unknown how spasticity and associated synergistic patterns change after robot-assisted and conventional treatment. We developed an innovative ankle-knee-hip interlimb coordinated humanoid robot (ICT) to mitigate abnormal spasticity and synergistic patterns. Our study aimed to compare the effects of ICT combined conventional physical therapy (ICT-C) and conventional physical therapy and gait training (CPT-G) on abnormal spasticity, synergistic gait patterns, and gait biomechanics in 20 patients with acute hemiparesis. The interventions were provided in 60-min sessions, 7 days/week, for 2 weeks. ICT-C demonstrated superior effects to CPT-G in knee joint kinematics, hip extensor and ankle dorsiflexor spasticity, hip, knee, ankle active force, knee and ankle resistive force, hip, knee, and ankle stiffness. Concurrently, the abnormal gait synergy was reduced in the ICT-C group. Our novel findings provided promising evidence of the ICT benefits as a successful intervention for abnormal spasticity and synergistic gait impairments in patients with acute hemiparetic stroke.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT03554642 (14/01/2020)

scholarly journals Abnormal synergistic gait mitigation in acute stroke using an innovative ankle–knee–hip interlimb humanoid robot: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chanhee Park ◽  
Mooyeon Oh-Park ◽  
Amy Bialek ◽  
Kathleen Friel ◽  
Dylan Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Humanoid Robot ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Stroke Recovery ◽  
Robot Assisted ◽  
Knee Joint Kinematics ◽  
Resistive Forces ◽  
Hemiparetic Stroke

AbstractAbnormal spasticity and associated synergistic patterns are the most common neuromuscular impairments affecting ankle–knee–hip interlimb coordinated gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with hemiparetic stroke. Although patients with hemiparetic stroke undergo various treatments to improve gait and movement, it remains unknown how spasticity and associated synergistic patterns change after robot-assisted and conventional treatment. We developed an innovative ankle–knee–hip interlimb coordinated humanoid robot (ICT) to mitigate abnormal spasticity and synergistic patterns. The objective of the preliminary clinical trial was to compare the effects of ICT combined with conventional physical therapy (ICT-C) and conventional physical therapy and gait training (CPT-G) on abnormal spasticity and synergistic gait patterns in 20 patients with acute hemiparesis. We performed secondary analyses aimed at elucidating the biomechanical effects of Walkbot ICT on kinematic (spatiotemporal parameters and angles) and kinetic (active force, resistive force, and stiffness) gait parameters before and after ICT in the ICT-C group. The intervention for this group comprised 60-min conventional physical therapy plus 30-min robot-assisted training, 7 days/week, for 2 weeks. Significant biomechanical effects in knee joint kinematics; hip, knee, and ankle active forces; hip, knee, and ankle resistive forces; and hip, knee, and ankle stiffness were associated with ICT-C. Our novel findings provide promising evidence for conventional therapy supplemented by robot-assisted therapy for abnormal spasticity, synergistic, and altered biomechanical gait impairments in patients in the acute post-stroke recovery phase.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT03554642 (14/01/2020).

Mechanical Design and Evaluation of a Novel Knee-Ankle-Foot Robot for Rehabilitation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gong Chen ◽  
Zhao Guo ◽  
Haoyong Yu
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Gait Patterns ◽  
Gait Biomechanics ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
In Series ◽  
Translational Spring ◽  
Selection Of

This paper presents the mechanical design and evaluation of a knee-ankle-foot robot, which is compact, modular, and portable for stroke patients to carry out overground gait training at outpatient and home settings. The robot is driven by a novel series elastic actuator (SEA) for safe human-robot interaction. The SEA employs one soft translational spring in series with a stiff torsion spring to achieve high intrinsic compliance and the capacity of providing peak force. The robotic joint mechanism and the selection of the actuator springs are optimized based on gait biomechanics to achieve portability and capability. The robot demonstrated stable and accuracy force control in experiments conducted on healthy subjects with overground walking. Major leg muscles of the subjects showed reduced level of activations (Electromyography, EMG) while maintaining normal gait patterns with robotic assistances, indicating the robot’s capability of providing effective gait assistance.

scholarly journals Effect of robotic-assisted gait training on objective biomechanical measures of gait in persons post-stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Nedergård ◽  
Ashokan Arumugam ◽  
Marlene Sandlund ◽  
Anna Bråndal ◽  
Charlotte K. Häger
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Parameters ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Temporal Asymmetry ◽  
Robotic Assisted ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Gait Biomechanics ◽  
Affected Side

Abstract Background Robotic-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) may enable high-intensive and task-specific gait training post-stroke. The effect of RAGT on gait movement patterns has however not been comprehensively reviewed. The purpose of this review was to summarize the evidence for potentially superior effects of RAGT on biomechanical measures of gait post-stroke when compared with non-robotic gait training alone. Methods Nine databases were searched using database-specific search terms from their inception until January 2021. We included randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of RAGT (e.g., using exoskeletons or end-effectors) on spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic parameters among adults suffering from any stage of stroke. Screening, data extraction and judgement of risk of bias (using the Cochrane Risk of bias 2 tool) were performed by 2–3 independent reviewers. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were used to evaluate the certainty of evidence for the biomechanical gait measures of interest. Results Thirteen studies including a total of 412 individuals (mean age: 52–69 years; 264 males) met eligibility criteria and were included. RAGT was employed either as monotherapy or in combination with other therapies in a subacute or chronic phase post-stroke. The included studies showed a high risk of bias (n = 6), some concerns (n = 6) or a low risk of bias (n = 1). Meta-analyses using a random-effects model for gait speed, cadence, step length (non-affected side) and spatial asymmetry revealed no significant differences between the RAGT and comparator groups, while stride length (mean difference [MD] 2.86 cm), step length (affected side; MD 2.67 cm) and temporal asymmetry calculated in ratio-values (MD 0.09) improved slightly more in the RAGT groups. There were serious weaknesses with almost all GRADE domains (risk of bias, consistency, directness, or precision of the findings) for the included outcome measures (spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters). Kinetic parameters were not reported at all. Conclusion There were few relevant studies and the review synthesis revealed a very low certainty in current evidence for employing RAGT to improve gait biomechanics post-stroke. Further high-quality, robust clinical trials on RAGT that complement clinical data with biomechanical data are thus warranted to disentangle the potential effects of such interventions on gait biomechanics post-stroke.

scholarly journals Efficacy of axial TheraTogs on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamekh Mohamed El-Shamy ◽  
Ehab Mohamed Abd El Kafy
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gait Pattern ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Gait Parameters ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract Background TheraTogs promotes proprioceptive sense of a child with cerebral palsy and improves abnormal muscle tone, posture alignment, balance, and gait. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of TheraTogs orthotic undergarment on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Thirty children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy were selected for this randomized controlled study. They were randomly assigned to (1) an experimental group that received TheraTogs orthotic undergarment (12 h/day, 3 days/week) plus traditional physical therapy for 3 successive months and (2) a control group that received only traditional physical therapy program for the same time period. Gait parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention using Pro-Reflex motion analysis. Results Children in both groups showed significant improvements in the gait parameters (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusions The use of TheraTogs may have a positive effect to improve gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Trial registration This trial was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov PRS (NCT03037697).

scholarly journals Effectiveness of interactive augmented reality-based telerehabilitation in patients with adhesive capsulitis: protocol for a multi-center randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Mi Yeo ◽  
Ji Young Lim ◽  
Jong Geol Do ◽  
Jae-Young Lim ◽  
Jong In Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Adhesive Capsulitis ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Home Exercise ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Home Based

Abstract Background As the primary treatment for adhesive capsulitis, intensive and accurate home exercise is as important as physical therapy in hospitals. Augmented reality (AR)-based telerehabilitation has been implemented recently in various musculoskeletal conditions to increase patient compliance and enable patients to exercise with the correct posture. The objective of this study is to present a protocol for investigating the additive effect of interactive AR-based telerehabilitation in comparison with the usual care for patients with adhesive capsulitis. Methods This study presents the protocol of a prospective, multi-center, single-blinded, two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT). One hundred patients with stage I or II adhesive capsulitis will be recruited at the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic. Patients will be randomly divided into two groups with 1:1 allocation. The intervention group will receive 3 months of hospital-based physical therapy in conjunction with home-based telerehabilitation. The control group will receive 3 months of hospital-based physical therapy in conjunction with a home-based exercise described in a brochure provided by the hospital. The primary outcome will be the change in passive range of motion (ROM) of the affected shoulder joint from baseline to 12 weeks after baseline assessment. The secondary outcomes will be active ROM, pain measured with the numeric rating scale, shoulder pain and disability index, 36-Item Short Form Survey, EuroQoL-5D-5L, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Discussion This will be the first RCT study protocol to investigate the effect of telerehabilitation in patients with adhesive capsulitis. The result of this RCT will determine whether AR-based telerehabilitation is more effective than a brochure-based home exercise program and will provide evidence of the usefulness of “telerehabilitation” using hardware (IoT) and software (monitoring platform) technologies to develop “digital therapeutics” for the future. Trial registration This trial was retrospectively registered at the Clinicaltrials.gov website on 20 March 2020, with the identifier NCT04316130.

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