Cover Image

Benefits of a Wearable Cyborg HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) in Patients with Childhood-Onset Motor Disabilities: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

Rehabilitation robots have shown promise in improving the gait of children with childhood-onset motor disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the long-term benefits of training using a wearable Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) in these patients. Training using a HAL was performed for 20 min a day,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mayumi Matsuda Kuroda (Author), Nobuaki Iwasaki (Author), Hirotaka Mutsuzaki (Author), Kenichi Yoshikawa (Author), Kazushi Takahashi (Author), Tomohiro Nakayama (Author), Junko Nakayama (Author), Ryoko Takeuchi (Author), Yuki Mataki (Author), Haruka Ohguro (Author), Kazuhide Tomita (Author)
Format: Book
Published: MDPI AG, 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z.
Subjects:
article
Online Access:Connect to this object online.
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Rehabilitation robots have shown promise in improving the gait of children with childhood-onset motor disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the long-term benefits of training using a wearable Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) in these patients. Training using a HAL was performed for 20 min a day, two to four times a week, over four weeks (12 sessions in total). The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) was the primary outcome measure, and the secondary outcome measures were gait speed, step length, cadence, 6-min walking distance (6MD), Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Patients underwent assessments before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 1-, 2-, 3-month and 1-year follow-ups. Nine participants (five males, four females; mean age: 18.9 years) with cerebral palsy (<i>n</i> = 7), critical illness polyneuropathy (<i>n</i> = 1), and encephalitis (<i>n</i> = 1) were enrolled. After training using HAL, GMFM, gait speed, cadence, 6MD, and COPM significantly improved (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). Improvements in GMFM were maintained one year after the intervention (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and in self-selected gait speed and 6MD three months after the intervention (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Training using HAL may be safe and feasible for childhood-onset motor disabilities and may maintain long-term improvements in motor function and walking ability.
Item Description:10.3390/pediatric15010017
2036-7503

Similar Items