Advisor Information
Mukul Mukherjee
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
3-3-2017 12:30 PM
End Date
3-3-2017 1:45 PM
Abstract
Background: Functional mobility in stroke survivors is affected by the deterioration in bilateral coordination while walking. A passive exoskeletal device, the Kickstart (Cadence Biomedical, Seattle, WA), that provides assistance during walking may help correct asymmetrical gait patterns by providing different task constraints for each leg during gait training. Methods: 15 healthy young participants walked on a split-belt treadmill where the speed of each belt could be controlled independently. Each participant’s preferred walking speed (PWS), fast walking speed (FWS) and slow walking speed (SWS) was established. Participants then underwent the experimental protocol while either wearing or not wearing the exoskeleton. The trials included baseline, split-belt adaptation and post-adaptation trials. Lower limb coordination was quantified using symmetry indices and tested for significant differences (p < 0.05) using T-tests. Results: It was found that the exoskeleton group had significant differences in spatial and temporal symmetry from the control group. The exoskeleton group had lower spatial asymmetry but higher temporal asymmetry than controls. Discussion: A passive exoskeletal device showed a significant effect on temporal and spatial gait characteristics during a novel gait coordination task. This data suggests that the exoskeletal device could change the strategy when adapting to a novel gait coordination pattern. Conclusion: A passive exoskeleton that assists in the swing phase of gait may be used in stroke and TBI populations as a novel walking task for gait training.
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."
Included in
Effect of a Passive Exoskeletal Device on Locomotor Adaptive Ability in Healthy Human Subjects
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Background: Functional mobility in stroke survivors is affected by the deterioration in bilateral coordination while walking. A passive exoskeletal device, the Kickstart (Cadence Biomedical, Seattle, WA), that provides assistance during walking may help correct asymmetrical gait patterns by providing different task constraints for each leg during gait training. Methods: 15 healthy young participants walked on a split-belt treadmill where the speed of each belt could be controlled independently. Each participant’s preferred walking speed (PWS), fast walking speed (FWS) and slow walking speed (SWS) was established. Participants then underwent the experimental protocol while either wearing or not wearing the exoskeleton. The trials included baseline, split-belt adaptation and post-adaptation trials. Lower limb coordination was quantified using symmetry indices and tested for significant differences (p < 0.05) using T-tests. Results: It was found that the exoskeleton group had significant differences in spatial and temporal symmetry from the control group. The exoskeleton group had lower spatial asymmetry but higher temporal asymmetry than controls. Discussion: A passive exoskeletal device showed a significant effect on temporal and spatial gait characteristics during a novel gait coordination task. This data suggests that the exoskeletal device could change the strategy when adapting to a novel gait coordination pattern. Conclusion: A passive exoskeleton that assists in the swing phase of gait may be used in stroke and TBI populations as a novel walking task for gait training.