Walking with robot-generated haptic forces in a virtual environment: a new approach to analyze lower limb coordination.
Gianluca U Sorrento, Philippe S Archambault, Joyce Fung
PMID 34503526WHAT IT FOUND
Walking with a robot-powered leash pulling the hand increased gait speed by 0.04 to 0.14 m/s in older adults with chronic stroke.
Coordination changes persisted after the pull stopped, but the study was a single session and did not test if this improves daily walking.
Key findings
01Gait speed increased during the force epoch and remained elevated in the post-force epoch for both stroke subgroups.
02Bilateral lower limb coordination, measured by intersegmental surface area and Sobolev norm values, showed modest increases that persisted after the force was removed.
03The changes in coordination metrics were strongly correlated with the increases in gait speed across all groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study involved only a single session of walking, so it cannot determine if these effects persist or accumulate with repeated training. The sample size was small (14 stroke participants total), and the stroke group was further divided into subgroups of 7, limiting the generalizability of the findings. The comparison between the leash and the cane was indirect, as they were run in separate paradigms, making it difficult to definitively say which is more effective. The study did not measure kinetic forces (ground reaction forces) or muscle activity, so the underlying mechanisms for the observed kinematic changes are not fully understood. Fatigue from walking was not controlled for, which could have influenced the post-force results.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé and the Richard and Edith Strauss Fellowship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this robot-leash setup is a proven treatment for improving daily walking. The study tested a single session of walking on a treadmill in a lab, not a rehabilitation program, and did not measure whether these temporary changes in speed and coordination translate to better community mobility or reduced fall risk.