The effect of pelvic movements of a gait training system for stroke patients: a single blind, randomized, parallel study

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation

Seung-Jong Kim¹  DaeEun Kim²  Anna Lee³  Min Ho Chun³  Junkyung Lee⁴  Junho Choi⁵  Choonghyun Son⁶ 

[1] Department for Biomedical Engineering, Korea University College of Medicine, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, 02841, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Electrical and Electonic Engineering, Yonsei university, 50, Yonsei-ro, Seodeamun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, 05505, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, 7, Keunjaebong-gil, 18450, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;The Center for Bionics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seungbuk-gu, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea;The Center for Bionics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seungbuk-gu, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Electrical and Electonic Engineering, Yonsei university, 50, Yonsei-ro, Seodeamun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea;

关键词: Rehabilitation;    Stroke;    Exoskeleton;    Gait training;    Pelvic movement;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12984-021-00964-7

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAging societies lead to higher demand for gait rehabilitation as age-related neurological disorders such as stroke and spinal cord injury increase. Since conventional methods for gait rehabilitation are physically and economically burdensome, robotic gait training systems have been studied and commercialized, many of which provided movements confined in the sagittal plane. For better outcomes of gait rehabilitation with more natural gait patterns, however, it is desirable to provide pelvic movements in the transverse plane. In this study, a robotic gait training system capable of pelvic motions in the transverse plane was used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic motions on stroke patients.MethodHealbot T, which is a robotic gait training system and capable of providing pelvic movements in the transverse plane as well as flexion/extension of the hip and knee joints and adduction/abduction of the hip joints, is introduced and used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic movement on gait training of stroke patients. Gait trainings in Healbot T with and without pelvic movements are carried out with stroke patients having hemiparesis.ExperimentTwenty-four stroke patients with hemiparesis were randomly assigned into two groups and 23 of them successfully completed the experiment except one subject who had dropped out due to personal reasons. Pelvis-on group was provided with pelvic motions whereas no pelvic movement was allowed for pelvis-off group during 10 sessions of gait trainings in Healbot T. Electromyography (EMG) signals and interaction forces as well as the joint angles of the robot were measured. Gait parameters such as stride length, cadence, and walking speed were measured while walking on the ground without assistance of Healbot T after gait training on 1st, 5th, and 10th day.ResultStride length significantly increased in both groups. Furthermore, cadence and walking speed of the pelvis-on group were increased by 10.6% and 11.8%. Although interaction forces of both groups except the thighs showed no differences, EMG signals from gluteus medius of the pelvis-on group increased by 88.6% during stance phase. In addition, EMG signals of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius medial, and gastrocnemius lateral of the pelvis-on group increased whereas EMG signals of the pelvis-off group except gastrocnemius lateral showed no difference after gait trainings.ConclusionGait training using a robotic gait training system with pelvic movements was conducted to investigate the effects of lateral and rotational pelvic movements in gait training of stroke patients. The pelvic movements affected to increase voluntary muscle activation during the stance phase as well as cadence and walking speed.Clinical trial registrationKCT0003762, 2018-1254, Registered 28 October 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01_kren.jsp?seq=14310<ype=&rtype=

【 授权许可】

CC BY