Affiliations: [a]
Department of Medical Science and Welfare, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| [b] Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| [c] Department of Rehabilitation, Tsukuba Memorial Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| [d] Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| [e] Department of Medical Science and Welfare, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Hisako Yanagi, MD, PhD, Department of Medical Science and Welfare, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan. Tel.: +81 29 853 3496; Fax: +81 29 853 3039; E-mail: hyanagi@md.tsukuba.ac.jp.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Gait training using the Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL®) may have beneficial effects on post-stroke gait function and independent walking. However, the long-term and medium-term efficacies of gait training using HAL® in stroke patients remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To compare the medium-term efficacy of gait training using a single-leg version of the Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL®) on the paretic side with conventional gait training (CGT) in recovery-phase stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty-four post-stroke participants (HAL® group: n = 12, CGT group: n = 12) completed the trial. Over 4 weeks, all participants received twelve 20-min sessions of either HAL® (using the single-leg version of HAL® on the paretic side) or conventional (performed by skilled and experienced physical therapists) gait training. Outcome measures were evaluated prior to training, after 12 sessions, and at 8 and 12 weeks after intervention initiation. Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: The HAL® group showed significant improvement in FAC after 12 sessions, and at 8 and 12 weeks compared to the conventional group (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that a gait training program based on HAL® may improve independent walking more efficiently than CGT at 1 and 2 months after intervention.
