Asymmetric Gait Improvement of Hemiplegic Patients using the Wearable Robot

Abstract

Stroke is a major age-related disease as one of the top three causes of death in Korea. According to early rehabilitation after stroke onset, the effect of rehabilitation can be very good, when chronic diseases should continue rehabilitation to live the rest of your life independently. Even once the damaged brain is not restored, through proper rehabilitation brain plasticity is facilitating to perform the functions of the damaged area, the active part of the brain is constantly expanding when it made continuous training. Using these characteristics of the brain was developed wearable rehabilitation robots. Gait analysis was performed for a variety of hemiplegic patients (Independence Gait Hemiplegia Group n=5, Hemiplegia Group using crutch n=5) and the general elderly n=5).Gait analysis results showed the gait characteristics that appear common to every patient, also it showed the gait characteristics (unstable gait characteristics, asymmetric gait characteristics) appear differently for each patient. And the characteristic index (Unstability Index: HUIO, Asymmetry Index: HAII, %DME, %DMM) to indicate the gait characteristics of each patient were derived. The clinical trial was conducted to target chronic hemiplegic patients (over Brunnstrom stages 5level, 6 months or more after onset). Subjects were carried out repeatedly for 12 weeks symmetrical gait training using wearable robot. Although two subjects were not significantly different forms(ROM, %Gait cycle, HUIO) of walking, the %DME / %DMM value of ankle joint and knee joint was reduced significantly because the asymmetry was significantly improved.