In recent years robotic devices became part of rehabilitation offers for patients suffering from Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and other diseases. Most scientific publications about such devices focus on functional outcome. The aim of this study was to verify whether an improvement in physiological gait can be demonstrated in addition to the functional parameters after treatment with neurological controlled HAL® Robot Suit. Fifteen subjects with acute (<12 months since injury, n = 5) or chronic (>12 months since injury, n = 10) incomplete paraplegia (AIS B, n = 0/AIS C, n = 2/AIS D, n = 8) or complete paraplegia (AIS A, n = 5) with zones of partial preservation participated. Subjects underwent a body weight supported treadmill training for five times a week over 12 weeks using HAL®. At baseline and at the end of the study a gait analysis was performed and additional functional parameters such as 10-Meter-Walk-Test, Timed-Up-and-Go-Test, 6-Minutes-Walk-Test, and WISCI II score were collected. Results were evaluated for whole group and individually for acute and chronic subgroups. All functional parameters improved. Differences were also found in physiological parameters such as phases of gait cycle and accompanied by significant improvement in all spatiotemporal and gait phase parameters. The presented study shows signs that an improvement in physiological gait can be achieved in addition to improved functional parameters in patients with SCI after completing 12-week training with HAL®. Trial Registration: DRKS, DRKS00020805. Registered 12 February 2020-Retrospectively registered, https://www.drks.de/DRKS00020805.

中文翻译：

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使用可穿戴机械人混合辅助肢体训练后改善急性和慢性 SCI 患者的生理步态。

近年来，机器人设备成为脊髓损伤 (SCI) 和其他疾病患者康复服务的一部分。大多数关于此类设备的科学出版物都关注功能结果。本研究的目的是验证在使用神经控制的 HAL® Robot Suit 治疗后，除了功能参数之外，是否还可以证明生理步态的改善。15 名受试者患有急性（受伤后 <12 个月，n = 5）或慢性（受伤后 >12 个月，n = 10）不完全截瘫（AIS B，n = 0/AIS C，n = 2/AIS D，n = 8) 或完全截瘫（AIS A，n = 5），部分保留区参与。受试者使用 HAL® 在 12 周内每周进行五次体重支持的跑步机训练。在基线和研究结束时进行步态分析和其他功能参数，如 10 米步行测试、计时起跑测试、6 分钟步行测试和 WISCI II 分数被收集。对整个组和单独的急性和慢性亚组的结果进行了评估。所有功能参数都得到改善。在诸如步态周期的阶段等生理参数中也发现了差异，并伴随着所有时空和步态阶段参数的显着改善。所呈现的研究表明，在完成 12 周的 HAL® 训练后，除了改善 SCI 患者的功能参数之外，还可以实现生理步态的改善。试用注册：DRKS，DRKS00020805。2020 年 2 月 12 日注册-追溯注册，https://www.drks.de/DRKS00020805。