title: Exercise intensity of robot-assisted walking versus overground walking in nonambulatory stroke patients.
abstract: It has been suggested that aerobic training should be considered in stroke rehabilitation programs to counteract detrimental health effects and decrease cardiovascular risk caused by inactivity. Robot-assisted treadmill exercise (using a Lokomat device) has the potential to increase the duration of walking therapy relative to conventional overground therapy. We investigated whether exercise intensity during Lokomat therapy is adequate to elicit a training effect and how assistance during walking in the Lokomat affects this exercise intensity. Ten patients with stroke (age 54 +/- 9 yr) walked in both the Lokomat and in a hallway. Furthermore, 10 nondisabled subjects (age 43 +/- 14 yr) walked in the Lokomat at various settings and on a treadmill at various speeds. During walking, oxygen consumption and heart rate were monitored. Results showed that for patients with stroke, exercise intensity did not reach recommended levels (30% heart rate reserve) for aerobic training during Lokomat walking. Furthermore, exercise intensity during walking in the Lokomat (9.3 +/- 1.6 mL/min/kg) was lower than during overground walking (10.4 +/- 1.3 mL/min/kg). Also, different settings of the Lokomat only had small effects on exercise intensity in nondisabled subjects.
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center/Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.vannunen@fbw.vu.nl
authors.forename: Michiel P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van Nunen
authors.forename: Karin H L
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Gerrits
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.forename: Thomas W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Janssen
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012371:Robotics; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking