Article

Many children with physical disabilities and special health care needs experience
barriers to accessing effective therapeutic technologies to improve walking and
fitness in healthcare and community environments.
The expense of many robotic and
exoskeleton technologies hinders widespread use in most clinics, school settings,
and fitness facilities. A motor-assisted elliptical trainer that is being used to
address walking and fitness deficits in adults was modified to enable children as
young as three years of age to access the technology
(Pedi-ICARE). We compared
children's kinematic and muscle activation patterns during walking and training
on the Pedi-ICARE. Eighteen children walked (self-selected comfortable speed),
Pedi-ICARE trained with motor-assistance at self-selected comfortable speed
(AAC), and trained while over-riding motor-assistance (AAC+). Coefficient of
multiple correlations (CMCs) compared lower extremity kinematic profiles during
AAC and AAC+ to gait. Repeated measures ANOVAs identified muscle demand
differences across conditions. CMCs revealed strong similarities at the hip and
knee between each motor-assisted elliptical condition and gait. Ankle CMCs were
only moderate. Muscle demands were generally lowest during AAC. Over-riding the
motor increased hip and knee muscle demands.
The similarity of motion patterns
between Pedi-ICARE conditions and walking suggest the device could be used to
promote task-specific training to improve walking. The capacity to manipulate
muscle demands using different motor-assistance conditions highlights
Pedi-ICARE's versatility in addressing a wide range of children's abilities.
CI - Copyright A(c) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
- Vélo elliptique - Enfant

Langue : ANGLAIS