Sustained effects of once-a-week gait training with hybrid assistive limb for rehabilitation in chronic stroke: case study.
Takahiko Yoshimoto, Issei Shimizu, Yasuhiro Hiroi
PMID 27799720WHAT IT FOUND
One woman with chronic stroke improved walking speed by 72.7% after eight weeks of once-a-week robotic gait training.
These gains remained at 51.7% two months later. This single case suggests sustained benefit but cannot prove the treatment works for others.
Key findings
01Walking speed improved by 72.7% after the eighth session of HAL training compared to the pre-training assessment.
02The improvement in walking speed was maintained at 51.7% two months after the end of the training.
03Balance and mobility measures (TUGT, FRT, 2ST, BBS) improved by 28%, 46%, 18%, and 7% respectively after the eighth session.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the results cannot be generalized to other patients. The subject received conventional physical therapy concurrently with the HAL training, so it is impossible to determine how much of the improvement was due to the robot versus standard care. There was no control group, so natural recovery or placebo effects cannot be ruled out. The improvements in walking speed decreased slightly during the follow-up period, suggesting the effects are not permanent.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that HAL training is effective for chronic stroke based on this paper. It describes one person's experience while also receiving standard physical therapy. The contribution of the robot cannot be separated from the conventional care, and a single case is not evidence of efficacy.