Assist-as-Needed Robot-Aided Gait Training Improves Walking Function in Individuals Following Stroke

A novel robot-aided assist-as-needed gait training paradigm has been developed recently. This paradigm encourages subjects´ active participation during training. Previous pilot studies demonstrated that assist-as-needed robot-aided gait training (RAGT) improves treadmill walking performance post-stroke. However, it is not known if there is an over-ground transfer of the training effects from RAGT on treadmill or long-term retention of the effects. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of assist-as-needed RAGT on over-ground walking pattern post-stroke. Nine stroke subjects received RAGT with visual feedback of each subject´s instantaneous ankle malleolus position relative to a target template for 15 40-minute sessions. Clinical evaluations and gait analyses were performed before, immediately after, and 6 months post-training. Stroke subjects demonstrated significant improvements and some long-term retention of the improvements in their self-selected over-ground walking speed, Dynamic Gait Index, Timed Up and Go, peak knee flexion angle during swing phase and total hip joint excursion over the whole gait cycle for their affected leg . These preliminary results demonstrate that subjects improved their over-ground walking pattern and some clinical gait measures post-training suggesting that assist-as-needed RAGT including visual feedback may be an effective approach to improve over-ground walking pattern post-stroke.