Article

Treadmill training with partial body weight support has been
suggested as a useful strategy for gait rehabilitation after stroke. OBJECTIVES:
This prospective, randomized, controlled study of gait training tested the
feasibility and potential efficacy of using a robotic-assisted gait device,
Lokomat, for treadmill training with partial body weight support in subjects with
chronic hemiplegia; the device was also compared with conventional home exercise.
METHODS: Twenty-two male ambulatory ischemic or hemorrhagic induced stroke
patients with chronic hemiplegia lasting at least 12 months were enrolled in this
prospective study. The patients were assigned to either the Lokomat group or the
conventional exercise group. The Lokomat group underwent active robotic training
for ten sessions (five sessions per week for two weeks). Each session lasted 30
minutes. If a patient missed three consecutive training sessions, he was removed
from the study. The Timed Up and Go Test is used to assess mobility and requires
both static and dynamic balance. The 10-m Timed Walking Speed Test is designed to
determine the patient's overground walking speed. The Mini-Mental State
Examination and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used for mental and
psychological evaluation; the Functional Ambulation Categories was used to assess
ambulatory status. RESULTS: Within each eight-week interval, the patients
undergoing the Lokomat training demonstrated significantly greater improvement on
the Timed Up and Go Test and 10-m Timed Walking Speed Test than those undergoing
conventional training. CONCLUSION: Despite the small number of patients in the
study, the present data suggests that the robotic-assisted device, Lokomat,
provides innovative possibilities for gait training in chronic hemiplegia
rehabilitation by training at higher intensity levels for longer durations than
traditional home exercise.

Langue : ANGLAIS