Title |
Overground walking training with the i-Walker, a robotic servo-assistive device, enhances balance in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled trial
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Published in |
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, May 2016
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DOI | 10.1186/s12984-016-0155-4 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Giovanni Morone, Roberta Annicchiarico, Marco Iosa, Alessia Federici, Stefano Paolucci, Ulises Cortés, Carlo Caltagirone |
Abstract |
Patients affected by mild stroke benefit more from physiological overground walking training than walking-like training performed in place using specific devices. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of overground robotic walking training performed with the servo-assistive robotic rollator (i-Walker) on walking, balance, gait stability and falls in a community setting in patients with mild subacute stroke. Forty-four patients were randomly assigned to two different groups that received the same therapy in two daily 40-min sessions 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Twenty sessions of standard therapy were performed by both groups. In the other 20 sessions the subjects enrolled in the i-Walker-Group (iWG) performed with the i-Walker and the Control-Group patients (CG) performed the same amount of conventional walking oriented therapy. Clinical and instrumented gait assessments were made pre- and post-treatment. The follow-up observation consisted of recording the number of fallers in the community setting after 6 months. Treatment effectiveness was higher in the iWG group in terms of balance improvement (Tinetti: 68.4 ± 27.6 % vs. 48.1 ± 33.9 %, p = 0.033) and 10-m and 6-min timed walking tests (significant interaction between group and time: F(1,40) = 14.252, p = 0.001; and F(1,40) = 7.883, p = 0.008, respectively). When measured, latero-lateral upper body accelerations were reduced in iWG (F = 4.727, p = 0.036), suggesting increased gait stability, which was supported by a reduced number of falls at home. A robotic servo-assisted i-Walker improved walking performance and balance in patients affected by mild/moderate stroke, leading to increased gait stability and reduced falls in the community. This study was registered on anzctr.org.au (July 1, 2015; ACTRN12615000681550 ). |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
India | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 318 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 56 | 18% |
Student > Master | 51 | 16% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 35 | 11% |
Researcher | 27 | 8% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 14 | 4% |
Other | 37 | 12% |
Unknown | 99 | 31% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Nursing and Health Professions | 64 | 20% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 37 | 12% |
Engineering | 34 | 11% |
Neuroscience | 16 | 5% |
Sports and Recreations | 12 | 4% |
Other | 42 | 13% |
Unknown | 114 | 36% |