Clinical and Quantitative Evaluation of Robotic-Assisted Treadmill Walking to Retrain Ambulation After Spinal Cord Injury
By Hornby, T. George; Campbell, Donielle D.; Zemon, David H.; Kahn, Jennifer H.; Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 1-17Publication Date: Fall 2005
Study conducted to compare the effects of robotic assistance during treadmill ambulation to enhance walking ability post-spinal cord injury using the Lokomat from Hocoma Medical Engineering, Incorporated with therapist-assisted interventions. The Lokomat is a locomotor retraining device designed to assist therapists in administering more extensive body-weight supported treadmill training. The device consists of a computer-controlled, exoskeletal orthosis secured to the client’s lower extremities. Lower limb forces and movements similar to standard gait are generated by bilateral direct-current motors at the hip and knee joint. Researchers at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago utilized the Lokomat to assess its effectiveness as a therapeutic intervention for people with both incomplete spinal cord injuries and stroke. The results have indicated a number of benefits yielded by the use of the Lokomat, including significant increases in gait speed and endurance. Studies comparing the effects of the Lokomat versus therapist-assisted interventions demonstrated similar improvements in both intervention conditions. Implications for future research are discussed.
Assistive Products Discussed: LOKOMATPRO (VERSIONS 5 & 6)
Published by: Thomas Land Publishers, Inc. (Website:http://www.thomasland.com)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J49692
