Loading [a11y]/accessibility-menu.js
Feasibility of entrainment with ankle mechanical perturbation to treat locomotor deficit of neurologically impaired patients | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore

Feasibility of entrainment with ankle mechanical perturbation to treat locomotor deficit of neurologically impaired patients


Abstract:

Entraining human gait with periodic torque from a robot may provide a novel approach to robot-aided walking therapy that is competent to exploit the natural oscillating d...Show More

Abstract:

Entraining human gait with periodic torque from a robot may provide a novel approach to robot-aided walking therapy that is competent to exploit the natural oscillating dynamics of human walking. To test the feasibility of this strategy we applied a periodic ankle torque to neurologically impaired patients (one with stroke and one with multiple sclerosis). As observed in normal human walking, both patients adapted their gait periods to synchronize with the perturbation by phase-locking the robotic torque at terminal stance phase. In addition, their gait cadence became significantly faster due to the training with clear after effects when the perturbation ceased. These results support a new strategy for walking therapy that exploits an embedded neural oscillator interacting with peripheral mechanics and the resulting natural dynamics of walking, which are essential but hitherto neglected elements of walking therapy.
Date of Conference: 30 August 2011 - 03 September 2011
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 01 December 2011
ISBN Information:

ISSN Information:

PubMed ID: 22256067
Conference Location: Boston, MA, USA

Contact IEEE to Subscribe

References

References is not available for this document.