Effects of robot-assisted gait training within 1 week after stroke onset on degree of gait independence in individuals with hemiparesis: a propensity score-matched analysis in a single-center cohort study.
Daisuke Kato, Satoshi Hirano, Daisuke Imoto and 6 others
PMID 40022168WHAT IT FOUND
Starting robot-assisted gait training within 1 week of stroke onset was associated with more people walking with supervision by 90 days and reaching that milestone sooner than starting later.
Key findings
0182.2% of the acute group achieved gait under supervision within 90 days, compared to 55.6% in the subacute group.
02Half of the acute group achieved gait under supervision at 49 days, compared to 75 days in the subacute group.
03Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the acute group (median 104.5 days) than in the subacute group (median 132.5 days).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was single-center and retrospective, which limits generalizability. Selection bias may exist because the start of RAGT required permission from the attending physician. Propensity score matching used data from the start of rehabilitation rather than 7 days after onset, potentially introducing bias. The FIM walk score measures ward implementation status and may underestimate actual gait ability compared to standardized tests like the Functional Ambulation Category. The sample size after matching was small (36 participants total).
Declared interests
The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding. The Welwalk device was developed by Toyota Motor Corporation, though no direct corporate involvement in the study design or analysis was explicitly detailed in the text provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that starting robot training earlier is safe for all acute stroke patients. This study excluded individuals with uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac or respiratory issues, and those already able to walk with supervision within 7 days, so these findings do not apply to patients with medical instability or milder initial deficits.