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Robotically assisted treadmill exercise training for improving peak fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: To assess the effectiveness of robotically assisted body weight supported treadmill training (RABWSTT) for improving cardiovascular fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury (CMISCI).Pilot prospective randomized, controlled clinical trial.Outpatient rehabilitation specialty hospital.Eighteen individuals with CMISCI with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) level between C4 and L2 and at least one-year post injury. Interventions CMISCI participants were randomized to RABWSTT or a home stretching program (HSP) three times per week for three months. Those in the home stretching group were crossed over to three months of RABWSTT following completion of the initial three month phase.Peak oxygen consumption (peak VO(2)) was measured during both robotic treadmill walking and arm cycle ergometry: twice at baseline, once at six weeks (mid-training) and twice at three months (post-training). Peak VO(2) values were normalized for body mass.The RABWSTT group improved peak VO(2) by 12.3% during robotic treadmill walking (20.2 ± 7.4 to 22.7 ± 7.5 ml/kg/min, P = 0.018), compared to a non-significant 3.9% within group change observed in HSP controls (P = 0.37). Neither group displayed a significant change in peak VO2 during arm cycle ergometry (RABWSTT, 8.5% (P = 0.25); HSP, 1.76% (P = 0.72)). A repeated measures analysis showed statistically significant differences between treatments for peak VO(2) during both robotic treadmill walking (P = 0.002) and arm cycle ergometry (P = 0.001).RABWSTT is an effective intervention model for improving peak fitness levels assessed during robotic treadmill walking in persons with CMISCI.

SUBMITTER: Gorman PH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4725790 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Robotically assisted treadmill exercise training for improving peak fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial.

Gorman Peter H PH Scott William W York Henry H Theyagaraj Melita M Price-Miller Naomi N McQuaid Jean J Eyvazzadeh Megan M Ivey Frederick M FM Macko Richard F RF

The journal of spinal cord medicine 20141218 1

<h4>Objective</h4>To assess the effectiveness of robotically assisted body weight supported treadmill training (RABWSTT) for improving cardiovascular fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury (CMISCI).<h4>Design</h4>Pilot prospective randomized, controlled clinical trial.<h4>Setting</h4>Outpatient rehabilitation specialty hospital.<h4>Participants</h4>Eighteen individuals with CMISCI with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) level between C4 and L2 and at least one-year post in ...[more]

PMID: 25520035

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Project description:Deficient ankle control after incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) often accentuates walking impairments. Transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) has been shown to augment locomotor activity after iSCI, presumably due to modulation of spinal excitability. However, the effects of possible excitability modulations induced by tSCS on ankle control have not yet been assessed. This study investigated the immediate (i.e., without training) effects during single-sessions of tonic tSCS on ankle control, spinal excitability, and locomotion in ten individuals with chronic, sensorimotor iSCI (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale D). Participants performed rhythmic ankle movements (dorsi- and plantar flexion) at a given rate, and irregular ankle movements following a predetermined trajectory with and without tonic tSCS at 15 Hz, 30 Hz, and 50 Hz. In a subgroup of eight participants, the effects of tSCS on assisted over-ground walking were studied. Furthermore, the activity of a polysynaptic spinal reflex, associated with spinal locomotor networks, was investigated to study the effect of the stimulation on the dedicated spinal circuitry associated with locomotor function. Tonic tSCS at 30 Hz immediately improved maximum dorsiflexion by +4.6° ± 0.9° in the more affected lower limb during the rhythmic ankle movement task, resulting in an increase of +2.9° ± 0.9° in active range of motion. Coordination of ankle movements, assessed by the ability to perform rhythmic ankle movements at a given target rate and to perform irregular movements according to a trajectory, was unchanged during stimulation. tSCS at 30 Hz modulated spinal reflex activity, reflected by a significant suppression of pathological activity specific to SCI in the assessed polysynaptic spinal reflex. During walking, there was no statistical group effect of tSCS. In the subgroup of eight assessed participants, the three with the lowest as well as the one with the highest walking function scores showed positive stimulation effects, including increased maximum walking speed, or more continuous and faster stepping at a self-selected speed. Future studies need to investigate if multiple applications and individual optimization of the stimulation parameters can increase the effects of tSCS, and if the technique can improve the outcome of locomotor rehabilitation after iSCI.

Project description:BackgroundTreadmill training with bodyweight support and manual assistance improves walking ability of patients with neurological injury. The purpose of this study was to determine how manual assistance changes muscle activation and kinematic patterns during treadmill training in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury.MethodsWe tested six volunteers with incomplete spinal cord injury and six volunteers with intact nervous systems. Subjects with spinal cord injury walked on a treadmill at six speeds (0.18-1.07 m/s) with body weight support with and without manual assistance. Healthy subjects walked at the same speeds only with body weight support. We measured electromyographic (EMG) and kinematics in the lower extremities and calculated EMG root mean square (RMS) amplitudes and joint excursions. We performed cross-correlation analyses to compare EMG and kinematic profiles.ResultsNormalized muscle activation amplitudes and profiles in subjects with spinal cord injury were similar for stepping with and without manual assistance (ANOVA, p > 0.05). Muscle activation amplitudes increased with increasing speed (ANOVA, p < 0.05). When comparing spinal cord injury subject EMG data to control subject EMG data, neither the condition with manual assistance nor the condition without manual assistance showed a greater similarity to the control subject data, except for vastus lateralis. The shape and timing of EMG patterns in subjects with spinal cord injury became less similar to controls at faster speeds, especially when walking without manual assistance (ANOVA, p < 0.05). There were no consistent changes in kinematic profiles across spinal cord injury subjects when they were given manual assistance. Knee joint excursion was approximately 5 degrees greater with manual assistance during swing (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Hip and ankle joint excursions were both approximately 3 degrees lower with manual assistance during stance (ANOVA, p < 0.05).ConclusionProviding manual assistance does not lower EMG amplitudes or alter muscle activation profiles in relatively higher functioning spinal cord injury subjects. One advantage of manual assistance is that it allows spinal cord injury subjects to walk at faster speeds than they could without assistance. Concerns that manual assistance will promote passivity in subjects are unsupported by our findings.

Project description:Spontaneous, acute, complete thoracolumbar spinal cord injury (TL-SCI) in dogs frequently results in permanent deficits modeling chronic paralysis in people. Recovery of walking without recovery of sensation has been interpreted in dogs as reflexive spinal walking. To evaluate this assumption, this study characterized the electrophysiological status of motor and sensory long tracts and local reflex circuitry in dogs with absent recovery of sensation after acute TL-SCI and correlated findings to gait scores. Twenty dogs with permanent deficits after acute, clinically complete TL-SCI and 6 normal dogs were prospectively enrolled. Transcranial magnetic motor evoked potentials (MEPs), somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), H-reflex, and F-waves were evaluated. Gait was quantified using an ordinal, open field scale (OFS) and treadmill-based stepping and coordination scores (SS, RI). MEP latency and H-reflex variables were compared between cases and controls. Associations between presence of MEPs, SSEPs, F-waves or H-reflex variables, and gait scores were determined. Pelvic limb MEPs were detected in 4 cases; no case had trans-lesional sensory conduction. Latency was longer and conduction velocity slower in cases than controls (pa = 0.0064, 0.0023, respectively). Three of 4 cases with pelvic limb MEPs were ambulatory, and gait scores (OFS, SS, RI) were each associated with presence of trans-lesional conduction (pa = 0.006, 0.006, 0.003, respectively). H threshold in cases (mean, 3.2mA ±2.5) was lower than controls (mean, 7.9mA ±3.1; pa = 0.011) and was inversely associated with treadmill-based scores, SS, and RI (pa = 0.042, 0.043, respectively). The association between pelvic limb MEPs and gait scores supports the importance of descending influence on regaining walking after severe TL-SCI in dogs rather than just activation of spinal walking. The inverse association between H-reflex threshold and gait scores implies that increases in motor neuron pool excitability might also contribute to motor recovery.

Project description:BackgroundRobotic-assisted locomotor training has demonstrated some efficacy in individuals with neurological injury and is slowly gaining clinical acceptance. Both exoskeletal devices, which control individual joint movements, and elliptical devices, which control endpoint trajectories, have been utilized with specific patient populations and are available commercially. No studies have directly compared training efficacy or patient performance during stepping between devices.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate kinematic, electromyographic (EMG), and metabolic responses during elliptical- and exoskeletal-assisted stepping in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) compared with therapist-assisted stepping. Design A prospective, cross-sectional, repeated-measures design was used.MethodsParticipants with incomplete SCI (n=11) performed 3 separate bouts of exoskeletal-, elliptical-, or therapist-assisted stepping. Unilateral hip and knee sagittal-plane kinematics, lower-limb EMG recordings, and oxygen consumption were compared across stepping conditions and with control participants (n=10) during treadmill stepping.ResultsExoskeletal stepping kinematics closely approximated normal gait patterns, whereas significantly greater hip and knee flexion postures were observed during elliptical-assisted stepping. Measures of kinematic variability indicated consistent patterns in control participants and during exoskeletal-assisted stepping, whereas therapist- and elliptical-assisted stepping kinematics were more variable. Despite specific differences, EMG patterns generally were similar across stepping conditions in the participants with SCI. In contrast, oxygen consumption was consistently greater during therapist-assisted stepping. Limitations Limitations included a small sample size, lack of ability to evaluate kinetics during stepping, unilateral EMG recordings, and sagittal-plane kinematics.ConclusionsDespite specific differences in kinematics and EMG activity, metabolic activity was similar during stepping in each robotic device. Understanding potential differences and similarities in stepping performance with robotic assistance may be important in delivery of repeated locomotor training using robotic or therapist assistance and for consumers of robotic devices.

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Robotically assisted treadmill exercise training for improving peak fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial.

Publications

Robotically assisted treadmill exercise training for improving peak fitness in chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial.

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