title: A wearable robotic knee orthosis for gait training: a case-series of hemiparetic stroke survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Until recently, robotic devices for stroke rehabilitation had multi-joint designs that were often tethered to a treadmill for gait training. A new single-joint wearable robotic knee orthosis (RKO) has been designed that provides patient-initiated powered-assistance in untethered functional mobility. This case-series documents application of the wearable RKO in untethered functional training with stroke survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three ambulatory adult stroke survivors used a wearable RKO during 18 one-hour sessions within a six-week physical therapy programme. Subjects were assessed with a variety of balance, gait and functional tests including the Berg Balance Scale (BBS); six-minute walk test (6MWT); and Emory Functional Ambulation Profile (EFAP) at pre-treatment, post-treatment, one-month and three-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All subjects improved balance, gait and functional performances with mean individual improvements of 12.6% for BBS, 12.0% for 6MWT and 16.7% for EFAP post-treatment. No adverse events occurred. These three stroke survivors may have benefited from the task-specific functional training programme augmented by RKO use.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute, Columbia University, Program in Physical Therapy, NY, USA. ckw7@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Christopher Kevin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome