http://www.jneuroengrehab.com/content/9/1/65/abstract
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Stroke is the most common cause of disability in the developed world and can severely
degrade walking function. Robot-driven gait therapy can provide assistance to patients
during training and offers a number of advantages over other forms of therapy. These
potential benefits do not, however, seem to have been fully realised as of yet in
clinical practice.
Objectives
This review determines ways in which robot-driven gait technology could be improved
in order to achieve better outcomes in gait rehabilitation.
Methods
The literature on gait impairments caused by stroke is reviewed, followed by research
detailing the different pathways to recovery. The outcomes of clinical trials investigating
robot-driven gait therapy are then examined. Finally, an analysis of the literature
focused on the technical features of the robot-based devices is presented. This review
thus combines both clinical and technical aspects in order to determine the routes
by which robot-driven gait therapy could be further developed.
Conclusions
Active subject participation in robot-driven gait therapy is vital to many of the
potential recovery pathways and is therefore an important feature of gait training.
Higher levels of subject participation and challenge could be promoted through designs
with a high emphasis on robotic transparency and sufficient degrees of freedom to
allow other aspects of gait such as balance to be incorporated.
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