Author: Aigerim Akhmetova
Editor: Anastasia Marentsova
Normalization of the walking process is one of the main goals of rehabilitation after a stroke. Robotic devices (programmed to automatically move and perform certain tasks) and mechanical (Electromechanical) devices with electric drive were developed to provide assistance to people in a post-stroke state, namely, gait normalization.
The review included 62 trials with 2,440 participants. The effects of physical therapy with electro-mechanical and robotic walking training devices were compared to those from physical therapy or routine care alone. In most studies, the training period lasted from three to four weeks. The shortest period was 10 days, and the longest was eight weeks.
The above-mentioned training, compared to physical therapy or regular care, had a greater therapeutic effect, helped more people start moving independently, and increased the average walking speed of the subjects. People who undergo walking training with electro-mechanical support combined with physical therapy after a stroke are more likely to be able to start walking on their own, unlike people who undergo training without these devices.
Source: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006185.pub5/full
