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A Rehabilitation Program of Exoskeleton-assisted Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training with Non-immersive Virtual Reality for Stroke Patients
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Immediate kinematic and muscle activity changes after a single robotic exoskeleton walking session post-stroke.
Chad Swank1, Sattam Almutairi2, Sharon Wang-Price3
1Department of Rehabilitation Research, Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation , Dallas, TX, USA.
Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
|February 21, 2020
Summary
Robotic exoskeletons (EKSO) show promise for improving gait in stroke survivors. A single session altered muscle activity and joint motion, suggesting EKSO is a viable intervention for gait dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Robotic exoskeletons (EKSO) represent a novel technology for gait retraining in post-stroke individuals.
- The impact of EKSO on gait characteristics following stroke remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare temporospatial, kinematic, and muscle activity gait characteristics before and after a single EKSO session.
- To examine kinematic symmetry between involved and uninvolved limbs post-stroke.
Main Methods:
- Six ambulatory adults with chronic stroke participated in pre- and post-EKSO walking trials.
- Gait analysis utilized a 10-camera motion capture system and 6 force plates.
- Surface electromyography (EMG) recorded muscle activity from key lower limb muscles.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in temporospatial gait characteristics were observed.
- Reduced rectus femoris muscle activity in the involved leg during swing phase (p=0.028).
- Decreased ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in the involved leg during stance phase (p=0.046).
- Improved kinematic symmetry between involved and uninvolved limbs post-EKSO for hip flexion and knee motion.
Conclusions:
- A single session of robotic exoskeleton training can alter gait characteristics in individuals with chronic stroke.
- EKSO demonstrates potential as a viable intervention to mitigate gait dysfunction post-stroke.
