Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 2007 · DOI: 10.1186/1743-0003-4-32 · Published: August 21, 2007
This study investigates how manual assistance affects muscle activation and movement patterns during treadmill training for people with incomplete spinal cord injuries. The researchers compared the muscle activity and joint movements of individuals with spinal cord injuries while they walked on a treadmill with and without manual help from therapists. The findings suggest that manual assistance doesn't significantly change muscle activation patterns but can help people walk faster and maintain more typical walking patterns at higher speeds.
Manual assistance can be a useful tool in treadmill training for individuals with spinal cord injuries, enabling them to achieve higher walking speeds without negatively impacting muscle activation.
Concerns about manual assistance promoting passivity during training are likely unfounded, as the study suggests it does not decrease muscle activation.
Powered assistance at the ankle joint may be a valuable feature in robotic devices for rehabilitation, given the limitations observed in ankle plantar flexion among subjects with spinal cord injury.