Feasibility of robotic-assisted locomotor training in children with central gait impairment.
Intensive, task-specific training enabled by a driven gait orthosis (DGO) may be a cost-effective means of improving walking performance in children. A paediatric DGO has recently been developed. This study was the first paediatric trial aimed to determine the feasibility of robotic-assisted treadmill training in children with central gait impairment (n=26; 11 females, 15 males; mean age 10 y 1 mo [SD 4 y]; range 5 y 2 mo-19 y 5 mo). Diagnoses of the study group included cerebral palsy (n=19; Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I-IV), traumatic brain injury (n=1), Guillain-Barré syndrome (n=2), incomplete paraplegia (n=2), and haemorrhagic shock (n=1), and encephalopathy (n=1). Sixteen children were in-patients and 10 were outpatients. Twenty-four of the 26 patients completed the training which consisted of a mean of 19 sessions (SD 2.2; range 13-21) in the in-patient group and 12 sessions (SD 1.0; range 10-13) in the outpatient group. Gait speed and 6-Minute Walking Test increased significantly (p<0.01). Functional Ambulation Categories and Standing dimension (in-patient group p<0.01; outpatient group p<0.05) of the Gross Motor Function Measure improved significantly. DGO training was successfully integrated into the rehabilitation programme and findings suggest an improvement of locomotor performance.
Rehabilitation Centre, Affoltern am Albis, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Andreas.Meyer-Heim@kispi.unizh.ch
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A
Meyer-Heim
I
I
Borggraefe
C
C
Ammann-Reiffer
St
S
Berweck
F H
FH
Sennhauser
G
G
Colombo
B
B
Knecht
F
F
Heinen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices / Q000191:economics; D012371:Robotics / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation