Article

People with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (m-iSCI) can recover basic
walking function but still have difficulty performing the skilled walking
required for everyday environments. We hypothesized that a robotic-based gait
rehabilitation strategy founded on principles of motor learning would be a
feasible and potentially effective approach for improving skilled walking in
people with m-iSCI. Fifteen individuals with chronic (>1 yr) m-iSCI were randomly
allocated to body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) with
Lokomat-applied resistance (Loko-R) or conventional Lokomat-assisted BWSTT
(Control). Training sessions were 45 min, 3 times/week for 3 mo. Tolerance to
training was assessed by ratings of perceived exertion and reports of
pain/soreness. Overground skilled walking capacity (Spinal Cord Injury-Functional
Ambulation Profile [SCI-FAP]), as well as walking speed and distance were
measured at baseline, posttraining, and 1 and 6 mo follow-up. Our results
indicate that Loko-R training could be feasibly applied for people with m-iSCI,
although participants in Loko-R tended to report higher levels of perceived
exertion during training. Participants in the Loko-R group performed
significantly better in the SCI-FAP than Control at posttraining and in follow-up
assessments. This study provides evidence that Loko-R training is feasible in
people with m-iSCI. Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence suggesting that
Loko-R may help improve performance in skilled overground walking tasks. CLINICAL
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT00610974. "Enhancing Walking in People
With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: a Pilot Study";
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00610974.

Langue : ANGLAIS