title: Robotic gait trainer in water: development of an underwater gait-training orthosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a robotic gait trainer that can be used in water (RGTW) and achieve repetitive physiological gait patterns to improve the movement dysfunctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RGTW is a hip-knee-ankle-foot orthosis with pneumatic actuators; the control software was developed on the basis of the angular motions of the hip and knee joint of a healthy subject as he walked in water. Three-dimensional motions and electromyographic (EMG) activities were recorded in nine healthy subjects to evaluate the efficacy of using the RGTW while walking on a treadmill in water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The device could preserve the angular displacement patterns of the hip and knee and foot trajectories under all experimental conditions. The tibialis anterior EMG activities in the late swing phase and the biceps femoris throughout the stance phase were reduced whose joint torques were assisted by the RGTW while walking on a treadmill in water.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the RGTW could expect not only the effect of the hydrotherapy but also the standard treadmill gait training, in particular, and may be particularly effective for treating individuals with hip joint movement dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Shibaura Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan. miyoshi@bpe.se.shibaura-it.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tasuku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
authors.forename: Shin-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kimitaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D009989:Orthotic Devices