Effect of robotic exoskeleton gait training during acute stroke on functional ambulation.
Kiran K Karunakaran, Sharon Gute, Gregory R Ames and 3 others
PMID 33814476WHAT IT FOUND
In 14 acute stroke patients, robotic exoskeleton training doubled the distance walked per session compared to standard care without adding time.
All participants improved on walking and balance tests, suggesting the device safely delivers higher-dose therapy.
Key findings
01Participants walked significantly more distance per session with the robotic exoskeleton than with standard care.
02All functional ambulation measures improved from baseline to follow-up.
03More robotic sessions were associated with greater improvement in the Timed Up and Go test.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a preliminary pilot study with only 14 participants, so results are not generalizable. There was no control group receiving only standard care, so it is unclear if the improvements were due to the robot or just the passage of time and standard rehab. The robotic training was not isolated; it was part of a broader inpatient rehabilitation program, so the specific contribution of the exoskeleton cannot be separated from other therapies. The study did not measure long-term community ambulation, only short-term functional gains.
Declared interests
The study used a commercially available device (Ekso GT) from Ekso Bionics. The paper does not explicitly state funding sources or conflicts of interest in the provided text, but the use of a specific commercial product warrants caution regarding potential bias.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the robotic exoskeleton caused the functional improvements. Since there was no control group and all patients received standard inpatient rehabilitation, the gains could be due to natural recovery or the overall intensity of the rehab program rather than the robot itself.