title: 'Regent Suit' training improves recovery of motor and daily living activities in subjects with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of an elastic element-based suit, called 'Regent Suit', in improving the recovery of motor and daily living activities in patients experiencing a subacute stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurorehabilitation unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with subacute stroke who were capable of walking without direct assistance were randomized to an experimental and control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group attended 20 sessions of neuromotor exercises (e.g. sit-to-stand, balance, gait training) wearing the 'Regent Suit'; the control group performed the same exercises without the 'Regent Suit'.
  
  
  METHODS
  6-minute walking test, Berg Balance Scale, the Functional Independence Measure, and the Barthel Index. The participants were evaluated before and after training, and after a further six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant between-group differences at baseline. A repeated measure linear mixed model revealed a significant effect of time (p < 0.001), group (p = 0.019), and time-by-group interaction (p < 0.001) in the gait speed in favour of the experimental group. The Berg Balance Scale indicated a significant effect of time (p < 0.001) and time-by-group interaction (p < 0.001). The experimental group also showed greater improvement in Functional Independence Measure and Barthel Index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings showed that an intervention using the 'Regent Suit' is more effective than usual care in improving locomotion and daily living activities in patients with subacute stroke. Further studies might investigate the efficacy of this type of training in chronic stroke patients and the possibility of combining the suit with body weight-supported treadmill training.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute of Lissone, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation IRCCS, Italy. marco.monticone@fsm.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monticone
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Stroke; gait training; increased proprioception; ‘Regent suit’