Effects of innovative hip-knee-ankle interlimb coordinated robot training on ambulation, cardiopulmonary function, depression, and fall confidence in acute hemiplegia.

Publication Type	Academic Article
Authors	Park C, Oh-Park M, Dohle C, Bialek A, Friel K, Edwards D, Krebs H, You J
Journal	NeuroRehabilitation
Volume	46
Issue	4
Pagination	577-587
Date Published	01/01/2020
ISSN	1878-6448
Keywords	Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Depression, Exercise Therapy, Gait, Hemiplegia, Robotics, Stroke Rehabilitation
Abstract	BACKGROUND: While Walkbot-assisted locomotor training (WLT) provided ample evidence on balance and gait improvements, the therapeutic effects on cardiopulmonary and psychological elements as well as fall confidence are unknown in stroke survivors. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to compare the effects of Walkbot locomotor training (WLT) with conventional locomotor training (CLT) on balance and gait, cardiopulmonary and psychological functions and fall confidence in acute hemiparetic stroke. METHODS: Fourteen patients with acute hemiparetic stroke were randomized into either the WLT (60 min physical therapy + 30 min Walkbot-assisted gait training) or CLT (60 min physical therapy + 30 min gait training) groups, 7 days/week over 2 weeks. Clinical outcomes included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), heart rate (HR), Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (BRPE), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted at P < 0.05. RESULTS: ANCOVA showed that WLT showed superior effects, compared to CLT, on FAC, HR, BRPE, BDI-II, and ABC scale (P < 0.05), but not on BBS (P = 0.061). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide novel, promising clinical evidence that WLT improved balance and gait function as well as cardiopulmonary and psychological functions, and fall confidence in acute stroke survivors who were unable to ambulate independently.
DOI	10.3233/NRE-203086
PubMed ID	32538882