Dataset Information

An Untethered Ankle Exoskeleton Improves Walking Economy in a Pilot Study of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.

ABSTRACT: The high energy cost of walking in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) contributes significantly to reduced mobility and quality of life. The purpose of this paper was to develop and clinically evaluate an untethered ankle exoskeleton with the ability to reduce the metabolic cost of walking in children and young adults with gait pathology from CP. We designed a battery-powered device consisting of an actuator-and-control module worn above the waist with a Bowden cable transmission used to provide torque to pulleys aligned with the ankle. Special consideration was made to minimize adding mass to the body, particularly distal portions of the lower-extremity. The exoskeleton provided plantar-flexor assistance during the mid-to-late stance phase, controlled using a real-time control algorithm and embedded sensors. We conducted a device feasibility and a pilot clinical evaluation study with five individuals with CP ages five through thirty years old. Participants completed an average of 130 min of exoskeleton-assisted walking practice. We observed a 19±5% improvement in the metabolic cost of transport (p = 0.011) during walking with untethered exoskeleton assistance compared to how participants walked normally. These preliminary findings support the future investigation of powered ankle assistance for improving mobility in this patient population.

SUBMITTER: Lerner ZF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6217810 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An Untethered Ankle Exoskeleton Improves Walking Economy in a Pilot Study of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.

Lerner Zachary F ZF Gasparri Gian Maria GM Bair Michael O MO Lawson Jenny L JL Luque Jason J Harvey Taryn A TA Lerner Andrea T AT

IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society 20180917 10

The high energy cost of walking in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) contributes significantly to reduced mobility and quality of life. The purpose of this paper was to develop and clinically evaluate an untethered ankle exoskeleton with the ability to reduce the metabolic cost of walking in children and young adults with gait pathology from CP. We designed a battery-powered device consisting of an actuator-and-control module worn above the waist with a Bowden cable transmission used to provi ...[more]

PMID: 30235140

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Project description:BackgroundGait abnormalities from neuromuscular conditions like cerebral palsy (CP) limit mobility and negatively affect quality of life. Increasing walking speed and stride length are essential clinical goals in the treatment of gait disorders from CP.Research questionHow does over-ground gait training with an untethered ankle exoskeleton providing adaptive assistance affect mobility-related spatiotemporal outcomes and lower-extremity muscle activity in people with CP?MethodsA diverse cohort of individuals with CP (n = 6, age 9-31, Gross Motor Function Classification System Level I - III) completed four over-ground training sessions (98 ± 17 min of assisted walking) and received pre- and post-training assessments. On both assessments, participants walked over-ground with and without the exoskeleton while we recorded spatiotemporal outcomes and muscle activity. We used two-tailed paired t-tests to compare all parameters pre- and post-training, and between assisted and unassisted conditions.ResultsFollowing training, walking speed increased 0.24 m/s (p = 0.006) and stride length increased 0.17 m (p = 0.013) during unassisted walking, while walking speed increased 0.28 m/s (p = 0.023) and stride length increased 0.15 m (p = 0.002) during exoskeleton-assisted walking. Exoskeleton training improved stride-to-stride repeatability of soleus and vastus lateralis muscle activation by up to 51 % (p ≤ 0.046), while the amount of integrated stance-phase muscle activity was similar across visits and conditions. Relative to baseline, post-training walking with the exoskeleton resulted in a soleus activity pattern that was 39 % more similar to the typical pattern from unimpaired individuals (p < 0.001).SignificanceThis study demonstrates acute spatiotemporal and neuromuscular benefits from over-ground training with adaptive ankle exoskeleton assistance, and provides rationale for completion of a longer randomized controlled training protocol.

Project description:BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is a leading cause of childhood disability. The motor impairments of individuals with CP significantly affect the kinematics of an efficient gait pattern. Robotic therapies have become increasingly popular as an intervention to address this. Powered lower limb exoskeletons (PoLLE) are a novel form of robotic therapy that allow the individual to perform over-ground gait training and yet its effectiveness for CP is unknown.PurposeTo determine the effectiveness of PoLLE use on gait in individuals with CP.MethodA systematic search of eight electronic databases was conducted in March 2020. Studies included children (0-18 years) and or adults (18+ years) diagnosed with CP who used a PoLLE for gait training. This review was conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, with the methodology registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020177160). A modified version of the McMaster critical review form for quantitative studies was used to assess the methodological quality. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, a descriptive synthesis using the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) FORM framework was undertaken.ResultsOf the 2089 studies screened, ten case series and three case studies met the inclusion criteria highlighting the current evidence base is emerging and low level. A range of PoLLEs were investigated with effectiveness measured by using a number of outcome measures. Collectively, the body of evidence indicates there is some consistent positive evidence on the effectiveness of PoLLE in improving gait in individuals with CP, with minimal adverse effects. While this is a positive and encouraging finding for an emerging technology, methodological concerns also need to be acknowledged.ConclusionWith rapidly evolving technology, PoLLEs could play a transformative role in the lives of people impacted by CP. Ongoing research is required to further strengthen the evidence base and address current methodological concerns.

Dataset Information

An Untethered Ankle Exoskeleton Improves Walking Economy in a Pilot Study of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.

Publications

An Untethered Ankle Exoskeleton Improves Walking Economy in a Pilot Study of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.

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