EFFECT OF ROBOTIC GAIT TRAINING AND CONVENTIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY IN STROKE PATIENTS

Research Objectives: To study the effect of robotic gait training on walking ability, motor function and cognitive function of stroke patients.

Design: The study was a Hospital based Quasi experimental study

Setting: It is conducted in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yangon General Hospital from December 2016 to July 2018.

Participants: A total of 50 hospitalized stroke patients (Male-34, Female-18, age range of 51-60 years old) were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions: Robotic gait training device was used to determine the effect of walking ability, motor function and cognitive function of stroke patients.

Main Outcome Measures: Walking ability was measured by using 10-Meter Walk Test (10 MWT), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Berg balance scale (BBS). Motor function was assessed by Fugl-Meyer Scale (FMS) and Barthel Index (BI). Cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Results: After 15th sessions of robotic training, the proportion of community ambulators was increased from 10% to 52% according to 10 meter walk test. Before robotic training, all the patients in this study could not go outside independently (Time up and go test ≤ 30 sec) and after 15th sessions, 66% of those could go out independently. Sixty percent of patients could walk independently according to Berg Balance Scale after 15th robotic training sessions.
Barthel Index score was increased after each session of robotic training in this study. The proportion of patients with high Fugl-Meyer Score was increased from 18% to 86% at the end of the study. Cognitive function was also improved according to Mini-Mental State examination in the present study.

Conclusions: The robotic training had an effective improvement in the walking ability, motor function and cognitive functions of the stroke patients, with better improvement in acute and sub-acute stroke patients than chronic stroke patients.

Author(s) Disclosures: “It is certifying that there are no conflicts of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.”