A Rehabilitation Walker with a Standing Assistance Device

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Empowering and assisting natural human mobility: The simbiosis walker

This paper presents the complete development of the Simbiosis Smart Walker. The device is equipped with a set of sensor subsystems to acquire user-machine interaction forces and the temporal evolution of user's feet during gait. The authors present an adaptive filtering technique used for the identification and separation of different components found on the human-machine interaction forces. This technique allowed isolating the components related with the navigational commands and developing a Fuzzy logic controller to guide the device. The Smart Walker was clinically validated at the Spinal Cord Injury Hospital of Toledo - Spain, presenting great acceptability by spinal chord injury patients and clinical staf

Exercise interventions for adults and children with cerebral palsy (Protocol)

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: - The primary aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on activity, participation, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults and children with CP. - The secondary aim is to evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on body functions and body structures.Jennifer M Ryan is receiving funding from Action Medical Research and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Charitable Trust to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of resistance training in adolescents with cerebral palsy

Development of a Step Counting Algorithm Using the Ambulatory Tibia Load Analysis System for Tibia Fracture Patients

Introduction: Ambulation can be used to monitor the healing of lower extremity fractures. However, the ambulatory behavior of tibia fracture patients remains unknown due to an inability to continuously quantify ambulation outside of the clinic. The goal of this study was to design and validate an algorithm to assess ambulation in tibia fracture patients using the ambulatory tibial load analysis system during recovery, outside of the clinic. Methods Data were collected from a cyclic tester, 14 healthy volunteers performing a 2-min walk test on the treadmill, and 10 tibia fracture patients who wore the ambulatory tibial load analysis system during recovery. Results The algorithm accurately detected 2000/2000 steps from simulated ambulatory data. (see full text for full abstract

Effects on mobility training and de-adaptations in subjects with Spinal Cord Injury due to a Wearable Robot: A preliminary report

open7noopenSale, Patrizio; Russo, Emanuele Francesco; Russo, Michele; Masiero, Stefano; Piccione, Francesco; Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore; Filoni, SerenaSale, Patrizio; Russo, Emanuele Francesco; Russo, Michele; Masiero, Stefano; Piccione, Francesco; Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore; Filoni, Seren

Inpatient Rehabilitation For A 75-Year-Old Female Following A Left-Sided Pontine Infarct: A Case Report

Background and Purpose: Although cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), or strokes, occur often in the United States, only 7% of those strokes affect the pons, an area of the brainstem that provides life-sustaining functions. Due to the rarity of pontine strokes, there is insufficient evidence supporting successful interventions that yield functional benefits for patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation units (IRU). The purpose of this case report was to examine gait, balance and functional mobility interventions on the restoration of mobility and functional independence of a patient within an IRU.Case Description: The patient was a 75-year-old female 3 days status post a pontine stroke who was admitted into the IRU to improve independence and functional mobility after presenting with dysphagia, right-sided weakness and impaired functional mobility. Her plan of care included lower extremity (LE) strengthening, gait training with and without body-weight support, balance training and functional transfer training. Outcome measures used were the Five Times Sit to Stand (5xSTS), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit-Performance Assessment Inventory (IRU-PAI), manual muscle testing (MMT), sensation and coordination testing.Outcomes: The patient improved right LE strength averaging 4/5, increased gait speed from 0.13 m/s to 0.4 m/s on the 10MWT, improved functional transfers from minimal contact assistance to supervision and improved ambulation from 35 feet to 350 feet without an assistive device and a contact guard assist by time of discharge.Discussion: LE strengthening, balance, gait training and transfer training were beneficial for restoring functional mobility in this patient with subacute pontine stroke. Further research should be performed to assess interventions for patients of varying demographics and stroke types within IRUs

Utilization of AutoAmbulator as an Adjunct to Physical Therapy in an Individual with Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Report

Background: Parkinson’s Disease is a neurogenerative disease of the basal ganglia resulting in decreased dopamine production. The imbalance of dopamine in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease presents with symptoms including bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability. The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of an AutoAmbulator, bodyweight supported treadmill, in conjunction with traditional therapy and detail a patient with Parkinson’s Disease response to therapy. Case Description: An 86-year-old male with Parkinson’s disease was admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility after being hospitalized with generalized weakness and altered mental status. Prior to being hospitalized, he ambulated with a rolling walker household distances independently; however, at evaluation he required a two person assist to ambulate 10 ft in the parallel bars. Intervention: Three bouts of bodyweight supported treadmill training occurred in conjunction with overground training, postural education, lower extremity strengthening, transfer training, and dynamic standing balance over twelve sessions of inpatient rehabilitation. Outcomes: Outcome measures utilized consisted of FIM scores, Timed Up and Go test, 10 Meter Walk Test, and total distance ambulated. Discussion: Positive outcomes were observed in this patient with Parkinson’s Disease with the incorporation of bodyweight supported treadmill training with traditional physical therapy treatment

Gait, Strength, And Balance Training For A 43-Year-Old Male Following An Acute Right Middle Cerebral Artery Stroke: A Case Report

Background and Purpose: Although many patients who have had a stroke receive inpatient rehabilitation treatment, there is limited literature that investigates the interventions utilized to treat this population. The purpose of this case study was to describe the inpatient rehabilitation treatment interventions including body weight supported treadmill training (BWSTT), functional electrical stimulation (FES), balance, and lower extremity (LE) strengthening on a patient with a sub-acute right middle cerebral artery (R MCA) stroke. Case description: The patient was a 43-year-old male who recently had a R MCA stroke. He presented with significant expressive aphasia, left-sided hemiparesis, balance and transfer deficits, and impulsivity. His plan of care incorporated BWSTT, FES, balance and cardiovascular training, LE strengthening, education, and over-ground walking. The outcome measures utilized were the Functional independence measure (FIM), and the Postural Assessment Stroke Scale (PASS). His reflexes, gross motor strength, and sensation were also assessed. Outcomes: The patient demonstrated improvements in his left LE (LLE) strength from averaging 2/5 to 4+/5 on manual muscle testing. He improved his independence with transfers, and improved gait mechanics and balance. His PASS score improved from 6/36 to 34/36 and his FIM score from 44/126 to 92/126 by discharge. Discussion: The physical therapy (PT) interventions that targeted LE strengthening, gait, and balance training were beneficial. This patient’s recovery was affected by his immediate treatment, access to equipment and technology, and having an interdisciplinary team. Further investigation should be conducted in different inpatient rehabilitation facilities, for patients with chronic stroke, and for patients in different PT settings