Abstract
Objective
To compare the efficacy of gait training using a single-leg version of the Hybrid
Assistive Limb (HAL) on the paretic side with conventional gait training in individuals
with subacute stroke.
Design
Randomized open controlled pilot trial.
Setting
Hospitalized care.
Participants
Convenience sample of 44 patients who met the criteria; 12 patients refused. After
randomization (N=32), 10 patients withdrew and a total of 22 poststroke participants
(HAL group: n=11; conventional group: n=11) completed the randomized controlled trial.
Interventions
All participants received twelve 20-minute sessions in 4 weeks of either HAL (wearing
the single-leg version of the HAL on their paretic side) or conventional (performed
by skilled and experienced physical therapists) gait training.
Main Outcome Measures
Outcome measures were evaluated prior to training and after 12 sessions. Functional
Ambulation Category (FAC) was the primary outcome measure, whereas secondary outcome
measures included maximum walking speed, timed Up and Go test, 6-minute walk distance,
Short Physical Performance Battery, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity, and
isometric muscle strength (hip flexion and extension, knee flexion and extension).
Results
No participants withdrew because of adverse effects. Participants who received gait
training with the HAL showed significantly more improvement in the FAC than those
who received conventional gait training (95% confidence interval, .02–.88; P=.04). Secondary measures did not differ between the 2 groups.
Conclusions
The results obtained in this randomized controlled trial suggest that a gait training
program with the HAL could improve independent walking more efficiently than conventional
gait training.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
CGT (conventional gait training), FAC (Functional Ambulation Category), HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 07, 2014
Footnotes
Supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (grant no. 201215025A).
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
