Lokomat therapy

BACKGROUND: No general recommendations are yet available for the application of robot-assisted treadmill therapy for children with cerebral palsy regarding the length and intensity of the intervention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate patient-specific determinants of responsiveness to robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in patients with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. METHOD: During 12 months, the patients underwent 1-4 blocks of RAGT, representing 16-82 TUs...

OBJECTIVES: To propose a clinical decision-making algorithm guiding modality choice and transition from the Lokomat® robotic to body-weight supported treadmill training in subacute stroke, due to current evidence being limited, making clinical decisions difficult. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 10 adult patients with subacute stroke completing Lokomat® therapy, physiotherapist clinical judgement regarding body-weight supported treadmill training readiness and the following objective measurements were collected; Functional Ambulation Category; sit to stand/standing ability; Lokomat® settings; maximal active hip and knee flexion in standing; and gait biomechanics during body-weight supported treadmill training...

Introduction: Disturbances of balance control are common after stroke, affecting the quality of gait and increasing the risk of falls. Because balance and gait disorders may persist also in the chronic stage, reducing individual independence and participation, they represent primary goals of neurorehabilitation programs. For this purpose, in recent years, numerous technological devices have been developed, among which one of the most widespread is the Lokomat®, an actuated exoskeleton that guide the patient's limbs, simulating a symmetrical bilateral gait...

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the most common cause of disability in Western Countries. It can lead to loss of mobility, capability to walk and ultimately loss of independence in activities of daily living (ADL). Several rehabilitative approaches have been proposed in these years. Robot-assisted gait rehabilitation (RAGT) plays a crucial role to perform a repetitive, intensive, and task-oriented treatment in stroke survivors. However, there are still few data on its role in subacute stroke patients...

BACKGROUND: The Lokomat is a robotic device that has been suggested to make gait therapy easier, more comfortable, and more efficient. In this study, we asked whether the Lokomat promotes physiological muscle activation patterns, a fundamental question when considering motor learning and adaptation. METHODS: We investigated lower limb muscles coordination in terms of muscle activity level, muscle activity pattern similarity, and muscle synergy in 15 healthy participants walking at 3 km/h on either a treadmill or in a Lokomat at various guidance forces (GF: 30, 50 or 70%) and body weight supports (BWS: 30, 50 or 70% of participant's body weight)...

A growing interest in Socially Assistive Robotics in Physical Rehabilitation is currently observed; some of the benefits highlight the capability of a social robot to support and assist rehabilitation procedures. This paper presents a perception study that aimed to evaluate clinicians' and patients' perception of a social robot that will be integrated as part of Lokomat therapy. A total of 88 participants were surveyed, employing an online questionnaire based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)...

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots connect with the human body in a wearable way and control the movement of joints in the gait rehabilitation process. Among treadmill-based lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots, Lokomat (Hocoma AG, Volketswil, Switzerland) has 4 actuated joints for bilateral hips and knees whereas Walkbot (P&S Mechanics, Seoul, Korea) has 6 bilateral actuated joints for bilateral hips, knees, and ankles. Lokomat and Walkbot robotic gait training systems have not been directly compared previously...

COVID-19 pandemic has affected the population worldwide, evidencing new challenges and opportunities for several kinds of emergent and existing technologies. Social Assistive Robotics could be a potential tool to support clinical care areas, promoting physical distancing, and reducing the contagion rate. In this context, this paper presents a long-term evaluation of a social robotic platform for gait neurorehabilitation. The robot's primary roles are monitoring physiological progress and promoting social interaction with human distancing during the sessions...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a solitary, symmetric, demyelination in the central pons. This case study aimed to report the effects of an intensive robotic gait training with Lokomat-Pro on mobility and quality of life in a case of CPM. CASE DESCRIPTION AND INTERVENTION: A 33-year-old female patient with tetraparesis and gait disturbance due to CPM was hospitalized to undergo intensive rehabilitation training for about 2 months...

OBJECTIVE: Robotic gait training presents a promising training modality. Nevertheless, evidence supporting the efficacy of such therapy in children with cerebral palsy remains insufficient. This study aimed to assess the effect of robotic gait training in children/adolescents with cerebral palsy. METHODS: Twenty-four children/adolescents with bilateral cerebral palsy (12 female, 10.1 ± 3.1 years, Gross Motor Function Classification System II to IV) took part in this study...

BACKGROUND: The rehabilitation of cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in individuals with stroke is essential for promoting patient's recovery and autonomy. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effects of robotic neurorehabilitation using Lokomat with and without VR on cognitive functioning and psychological well-being in stroke patients, as compared to traditional therapy. METHODS: Ninety stroke patients were included in this randomized controlled clinical trial...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of traditional and high-tech physical rehabilitation in cerebral palsy and in modeling of rehabilitation prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-six patients with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia); mean age 7.0±1.3 years, the duration of inpatient treatment 28 days, were studied. Forty patients received conventional treatment, 86 - a high-tech physical rehabilitation (robotic mechanic therapy with «Lokomat», «Armeo» and electric stimulation of the brain with «Brain-port» device)...

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, affecting ambulation even in people with only mild neurological signs. Patients with MS frequently experience spasticity, which contributes significantly to impair their motor functions, including ambulation, owing to muscle stiffness, spasms, and pain. OBJECTIVES: To clarify the role of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC):cannabidiol(CBD) oromucosal spray, coupled to robot-aided gait training (RAGT) using the Lokomat©Pro to improve functional ambulation in patients with MS...

Robot-assisted therapy for gait rehabilitation of patients with neurological disorders usually combines a body weight support system with a treadmill system. Lokomat is one of the most used devices for gait rehabilitation. This device allows therapists to focus on the patient and the therapy. However, this therapy session is based on multi-tasking processes, which are often difficult for a therapist to manage. In this work, a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) was integrated into a neurorehabilitation program as a collaborator agent to promote patient engagement and performance during the therapy...

BACKGROUND: Low cardiovascular fitness is common poststroke. Conventional subacute stroke rehabilitation does not meet Australian National Stroke Guidelines for cardiovascular exercise, particularly in mobility-dependent patients. Walking robotics can potentially achieve recommended cardiovascular exercise with these patients. AIM: The primary aim was to determine whether sustained moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise can be achieved using 3 Lokomat Augmented Performance Feedback activities in mobility-dependent adults with subacute stroke...

Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) has been introduced in clinical practice to increase training intensity in patients with neurological disorders. In this observational study, we investigated the effect of the number of RAGT sessions on functional recovery in a heterogeneous cohort of patients. We included patients with a diagnosis of gait impairment due to a neurological disease. A set of demographic, clinical, functional and training parameters was collected for each participant. Each patient received RAGT with an exoskeleton (Lokomat; Hocoma, Volketswil, Switzerland) as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program...

Technologies such as robot-assisted gait trainers or functional electrical stimulation can improve the rehabilitation process of people affected with gait disorders due to stroke or other neurological defects. By combining both technologies, the potential disadvantages of each technology could be compensated and simultaneously, therapy effects could be improved. Thus, an algorithm was designed that aims to detect the gait cycle of a robot-assisted gait trainer. Based on movement data recorded with inertial measurement units, gait events can be detected...

BACKGROUND: Add-on robot-mediated therapy has proven to be more effective than conventional therapy alone in post-stroke gait rehabilitation. Such robot-mediated interventions routinely use also visual biofeedback tools. A better understanding of biofeedback content effects when used for robotic locomotor training may improve the rehabilitation process and outcomes. METHODS: This randomized cross-over pilot trial aimed to address the possible impact of different biofeedback contents on patients' performance and experience during Lokomat training, by comparing a novel biofeedback based on online biological electromyographic information (EMGb) versus the commercial joint torque biofeedback (Rb) in sub-acute non ambulatory patients...

Stroke is the main cause of disability after age 65, leaving survivors with sequels that require care and recovery treatment lasting years. It is estimated that by the year 2030 this pathology will be leading cause of mortality. To determine the efficacy of Lokomat training combined with neurotrophic medication and balneo-physiotherapeutic treatment in rehabilitation of post-stroke patients, a prospective study of 3 parallel groups was conducted: Group I (n = 22) - Lokomat, balneo-physiotherapy, and Cerebrolysin; Group II (n = 18) - Lokomat associated with balneo-physiotherapy; and Group III (n = 30) - balneo-physiotherapy alone (Control group)...

Purpose: The Lokomat is a commercially available robotic gait trainer, applied for gait rehabilitation in post-stroke hemiparetic patients. Selective and well-dosed clinical use of the Lokomat training parameters, i.e. guidance, speed and bodyweight support, requires a good understanding of how these parameters affect the neuromuscular control of post-stroke hemiparetic gait. Materials and methods: Ten stroke patients (unilateral paresis, 7 females, 64.5 ± 6.4 years, >3months post-stroke, FAC scores 2-4)) walked in the Lokomat under varying parameter settings: 50% or 100% guidance, 0...