Gait Training Using an End-Effect Robotic Device in Elderly Patients with Spinal Cord Injury

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Objective: The incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the elderly is gradually increasing. The recovery of walking ability is a major goal in older patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Among the various treatments aimed at regaining walking ability, robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) is a commonly used treatment tool. Several previous studies have investigated the effectiveness of RAGT for improving walking ability in patients with SCI; however, only a few studies have used end-effector-type robotic devices in patients with SCI. This study compared the effects of RAGT and conventional gait training in elderly patients with incomplete SCI.
Methods: Forty-one elderly patients aged 65 years or older with incomplete SCI classified as American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale C or D were enrolled. The patients were classified into two groups according to the rehabilitation therapy they received: conventional gait training and RAGT. They received treatment five times a week for an average of 4.4 weeks. Sensory and lower extremity motor scores (LEMS) of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury, Spinal Cord Independence Measure Version III (SCIM-III), and the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury Version II (WISCI-II) were compared before and after the intervention.
Results: The LEMS, SCIM-III, and WISCI-II showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) after gait training in both groups, but no significant difference was observed between the groups.
Conclusion: The end-effector type of RAGT is as effective as conventional rehabilitation therapy in older, incomplete SCI patients.