Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tokyo Professional University of Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| [b] Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachinaka General Hospital, Hitachinaka, Japan
| [c] Division of Intelligent Interaction Technologies Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Naoki Tanaka, PT, Ph.D, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tokyo Professional University of Health Sciences, 2-22-10 Shiohama, Koto Ward, Tokyo 135-0043, Japan. Tel.: +81 3 6272 5671; Fax: +81 3 6272 5672; E-mail: n-tanaka@tpu.ac.jp.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Gait rehabilitation using a footpad-type locomotion interface has been reported as effective in improving gait ability in chronic stroke patients. However, the effect on subacute stroke patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effect of gait rehabilitation using a footpad-type locomotion interface (Gait Training with Locomotion Interface group; GTLI group) with conventional gait rehabilitation (control group) in subacute stroke patients. METHODS:Twenty-one stroke patients (GTLI group: n = 13, control group: n = 8) participated in the study. All participants received gait rehabilitation using the footpad-type locomotion interface or conventional gait rehabilitation for 20 minutes x 20 sessions. Outcome measures were functional ambulation Category (FAC), gait speed, gait endurance and lower muscle strength. Measures were taken at baseline and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. RESULT:The GTLI group significantly improved gait speed and gait endurance compared with the control group. However, FAC and lower limb muscle strength were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS:The results suggest that gait rehabilitation using the footpad-type locomotion interface can improve gait ability better than conventional gait rehabilitation.
