The FreeD module for the Lokomat facilitates a physiological movement pattern in healthy people - a proof of concept study.

The study was done in healthy adults, not in patients, so it does not show how FreeD affects people with gait disorders. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling, and 31 healthy adults took part. FreeD settings were the same for all participants, so the effect of individual adjustment is unknown. The treadmill condition used a harness and leg straps even with 0% body weight support, which may have affected gait. Overground sEMG data from three participants were excluded because of video synchronization problems. The video method for trunk movement was not a validated kinematic instrument. The method measured only a two-dimensional frontal view, so actual pelvis translation may be larger because the pelvis also rotates in the transverse plane. Markers were not placed on exact anatomical landmarks, and treadmill position relative to the camera was not always identical. The muscle activity comparison focused on pattern shape, so differences in amplitude may not be fully captured.

The supplied text reports funding from Mäxi Foundation, Fondation Gaydoul, and CRPP Neurorehabilitation of the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich, Switzerland. It does not state author conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that FreeD improves gait therapy for patients or changes muscle activity patterns. The muscle activity patterns did not differ between Lokomat conditions, and the study was done in healthy adults.