title: Improvement of walking abilities after robotic-assisted locomotion training in children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure functional gait improvements of robotic-assisted locomotion training in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-case experimental A-B design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rehabilitation Centre Affoltern am Albis, Children's University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (inpatient group) and Neurology Department of the Dr von Haunersches Children's Hospital Munich, Germany (outpatient group).
  
  
  METHODS
  22 children (mean age 8.6 years, range 4.6-11.7) with CP and a Gross Motor Function Classification System level II to IV.
  
  
  METHODS
  3 to 5 sessions of 45-60 minutes/week during a 3-5-week period of driven gait orthosis training.
  
  
  METHODS
  10-metre walk test (10MWT), 6-minute walk test (6MinWT), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) dimension D (standing) and dimension E (walking), and Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) maximum gait speed (0.78 (0.57) to 0.91 (0.61) m/s; p<0.01) as well as the mean (SD) dimension D of the GMFM-66 (40.3% (31.3%) to 46.6% (28.7%); p<0.05) improved significantly after the intervention period. The mean (SD) 6MinWT (176.3 (141.8) to 199.5 (157.7) m), the mean FAC (2.6 (1.7) to 3.0 (1.6)) and the mean (SD) dimension E of the GMFM-66 (29.5% (30.3%) to 31.6% (29.2%)) also showed an increase, but did not reach a statistically significant level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that children with CP benefit from robotic-assisted gait training in improving functional gait parameters.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Centre, 8910 Affoltern am Albis, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Andreas.Meyer-Heim@kispi.uzh.ch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer-Heim
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ammann-Reiffer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmartz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Sennhauser
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heinen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dabrowski
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Borggraefe
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D012371:Robotics; D016138:Walking