Robot assisted treadmill training: Mechanisms and training strategies

• Published in: Medical engineering & physics Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 527 - 533
• Main Authors: Hussain, Shahid, Xie, Sheng Quan, Liu, Guangyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Active orthosis; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Compliance; Computer science; control theory; systems; Control theory. Systems; Exact sciences and technology; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Test; Gait - physiology; Gait rehabilitation; Humans; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neurologic injuries; Orthotic Devices; Radiology; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rehabilitation - methods; Robotics; Training strategies; Treadmill training; Gait rehabilitation; Compliance; Treadmill training; Training strategies; Neurologic injuries; Active orthosis; Robotics; Gait; Cardiovascular disease; Review; Vascular disease; Moving way; Reeducation; Spinal cord trauma; Cerebrovascular disease; Biomedical engineering; Human; Nervous system diseases; Stroke; Orthosis; Orthopedic treatment; Technical assistance; Cerebral disorder; Locomotion; Walking; Central nervous system disease; Rehabilitation(human); Spinal cord disease; Robot
• ISSN: 1350-4533; 1873-4030
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2010.12.010

Abstract The rehabilitation engineering community is working towards the development of robotic devices that can assist during gait training of patients suffering from neurologic injuries such as stroke and spinal cord injuries (SCI). The field of robot assisted treadmill training has rapidly evolved during the last decade. The robotic devices can provide repetitive, systematic and prolonged gait training sessions. This paper presents a review of the treadmill based robotic gait training devices. An overview of design configurations and actuation methods used for these devices is provided. Training strategies designed to actively involve the patient in robot assisted treadmill training are studied. These training strategies assist the patient according to the level of disability and type of neurologic injury. Although the efficacy of these training strategies is not clinically proven, adaptive strategies may result in substantial improvements. We end our review with a discussion covering major advancements made at device design and training strategies level and potential challenges to the field.