Exoskeleton-Assisted Gait Training Improves Walking Speed in Chronic Stroke

But the degree of improvement was similar to that achieved with conventional functional gait therapy.

Improving walking ability is a key goal of rehabilitation therapy after stroke. Better integration of technology has enabled development of powered robot exoskeletons, which may increase therapy dose and intensity and reduce therapists' strain and workload. Whether exoskeleton-assisted therapy improves clinical outcomes, particularly compared to conventional functional gait training, is unclear.

In this partially industry-funded trial, investigators randomized 54 patients with impaired walking due to chronic stroke to exoskeleton-enabled gait training or intensity-matched functional gait training. For the 50 patients who completed the study, a physical therapist delivered study interventions approximately 3 times a week over 6 to 8 weeks for…

Reviewing Author

Anthony S. Kim, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Anthony S. Kim, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Exoskeleton-Assisted Gait Training Improves Walking Speed in Chronic Stroke

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Reviewing Author