Abstract
Objective
To compare a walking reeducation program with robotic locomotor training plus overground
therapy (LKOGT) to conventional overground training (OGT) in individuals with incomplete
upper motor neuron (UMN) or lower motor neuron (LMN) injuries having either traumatic
or nontraumatic nonprogressive etiology.
Design
Randomized open controlled trial with blind evaluation by an independent observer.
Setting
An inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation center.
Participants
A total of 88 adults within 6 months of spinal cord injury onset (group A, 44 with
UMN injury, and group B, 44 with LMN injury) were graded on the American Spinal Injury
Association Impairment Scale as C or D. Each of these groups was then randomly allocated
to conditions 1 or 2.
Interventions
Condition 1: Subgroups A1 and B1 were treated with LKOGT for 60 minutes. Condition
2: Subgroups A2 and B2 received 60 minutes of conventional OGT 5 days per week for
8 weeks. Subjects with UMN and LMN were randomized into 2 training groups.
Main Outcome Measures
Ten-meter walk test and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury
II, lower extremity motor score (LEMS), and the FIM-Locomotor were secondary outcome
measures.
Results
By using the LKOGT program compared with OGT, we found significant differences in
the 6MWT for groups A1 and B1. LKOGT also provided higher scores than did OGT in secondary
outcomes such as the LEMS and the FIM-Locomotor.
Conclusions
Robotic-assisted step training yielded better results in the 6MWT and the LEMS in
patients with UMN and LMN.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
BWSTT (body weight–supported treadmill training), CPG (central pattern generator), LEMS (lower extremity motor score), LKOGT (robotic locomotor training plus overground therapy), LMN (lower motor neuron), OGT (overground therapy), SCI (spinal cord injury), 6MWT (6-minute walk test), 10MWT (10-meter walk test), UMN (upper motor neuron)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 06, 2014
Footnotes
Supported by the Founding for Research of Castilla La Mancha (grant no. PI 2006-45).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has conferred or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
