Gait training using a stationary, one-leg gait exercise assist robot for chronic stroke hemiplegia: a case report.

Only one person was studied, and there was no comparison group, so the changes cannot be separated from natural variation, measurement variation or the other treatments. GEAR was given together with physical therapy, an ankle-foot orthosis, a cane and intrathecal baclofen therapy, so the effect of any single component cannot be identified. The participant had chronic stroke but could already walk slowly under supervision; the findings may not apply to people who cannot walk or who have different impairment levels. Training was interrupted by pain and a dose change in baclofen after weakness, which may have affected gait outcomes. The reported intervention period was 14 days, so longer-term gains or losses were not observed. The authors stated they attempted to match the GEAR and physical therapy gait patterns but did not confirm that the therapy was appropriate.

Toyota Motor Corporation provided a research grant and the GEAR robot. The authors declared no benefits in any form from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the participant of this manuscript.

Do not conclude that the robot caused the gait improvement. The patient received GEAR training, physical therapy, an ankle-foot orthosis, a cane and intrathecal baclofen therapy, and one case cannot show that a treatment works.