Exoskeleton rehabilitation robot training for balance and lower limb function in sub-acute stroke patients: a pilot, randomized controlled trial.
Yuting Zhang, Weiwei Zhao, Chunli Wan and 14 others
PMID 38851703WHAT IT FOUND
Adding REX exoskeleton training to standard care improved balance scores more than standard care alone in sub-acute stroke.
However, this was a small pilot study of 24 patients, so the results are preliminary and require confirmation in larger trials.
Key findings
01The robot group showed significantly greater improvement in Berg Balance Scale scores compared to the control group after four weeks.
02The robot group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in postural control (PASS) compared to the control group.
03There was no significant difference between the robot and control groups in lower limb motor function (FMA-LE) or daily living independence (MBI).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was a pilot with a very small sample size of 24 patients, limiting the generalizability of the findings. It was a single-center trial, which may limit the applicability of results to other settings. The follow-up period was short (4 weeks), so long-term effects are unknown. The study was single-blind (assessor only), so participants and therapists were aware of the group assignment, which could introduce performance or detection bias. The control intervention (upright bed standing) was not a sham, and differences in therapist attention or patient engagement between the groups cannot be ruled out.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Wuxi ‘Taihu Talent Plan’ medical and health high-level talents project and the Wuxi Municipal Bureau on Science and Technology. No commercial conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that REX exoskeleton training is superior to all other forms of balance training. The control group received upright bed standing, not conventional gait training or other robotic systems, and the sample size was too small to detect differences in motor function or daily living independence.