Affiliations: [a] IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan, Italy
| [b] Department of Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
| [c] Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| [d] Department of Geriatrics, Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| [e] Unitá operativa di Neuroriabilitazione ad Alta Intensitá, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| [f]
San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Eng. Chiara Iacovelli, IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, P.le, Rodolfo Morandi, 6, 20121 Milan, Italy. E-mail: ciacovelli@dongnocchi.it.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:End-effector robots allow intensive gait training in stroke subjects and promote a successful rehabilitation. A comparison between conventional and end-effector Robot-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) in subacute stroke patients is needed. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of end-effector RAGT in subacute stroke patients. METHODS:Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were divided into two group: 14 patients performed RAGT (RG); 12 patients performed conventional gait training (CG). Clinical assessment and gait analysis were performed at the beginning (T0) and at the end (T1) of the rehabilitation. RESULTS:The RG revealed a significant improvement in body function, activities, participation scales, and in the distance measured with the 6 MWT. The affected lower limb’s spasticity significantly decreased at T1. In gait analysis, RG showed significantly increases in many parameters. The CG significantly improved clinical assessments but showed no significant changes in gait parameters. Statistically significant differences between RG and CG were found in MRC-HE, TCT, 10 MWT, 6 MWT, and TUG. No significant difference between groups was registered in gait kinematics. CONCLUSIONS:Both rehabilitation treatments produce promising effects in subacute stroke patients. RAGT device offers a more intensive, controlled, and physiological gait training and significantly improved deambulation.
