People with spinal cord injury or stroke are able to reach moderate-to-vigorous intensity while exercising on an end-effector robot assisted gait trainer: A pilot study

Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 2025 · DOI: 10.1177/20556683241310865 · Published: January 1, 2025

Assistive Technology Neurology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury and stroke can lead to reduced cardiovascular fitness. This study investigated whether using an end-effector robot assisted gait trainer (E-RAGT) can help individuals reach recommended exercise intensity. The study found that most participants with spinal cord injury or stroke could reach moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity while using the E-RAGT. Participants generally found the E-RAGT sessions enjoyable, suggesting it could be a useful tool for increasing participation in cardiovascular training.

Study Duration

4 Months

Participants

5 people with spinal cord injury and 10 people with stroke

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Every participant was able to reach moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity on the E-RAGT.
2
Three out of five participants with spinal cord injury and four out of ten participants with stroke were able to maintain moderate-to-vigorous intensity for at least 20 minutes.
3
Participants rated their session as very enjoyable with a median score of 4 out of 5.

Research Summary

This pilot study investigated the feasibility of using an end-effector robot-assisted gait trainer (E-RAGT) to help individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke reach recommended levels of exercise intensity. The results showed that most participants could achieve moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity using the E-RAGT, although not all could maintain it for the recommended 20 minutes. Participants generally found the E-RAGT sessions to be enjoyable, suggesting that it could be a valuable tool for promoting cardiovascular fitness in these populations.

Practical Implications

Feasibility of E-RAGT

E-RAGTs can be used to help individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke reach moderate-to-vigorous exercise intensity.

Adherence to Exercise

The enjoyable nature of E-RAGT sessions may improve participation and adherence to cardiorespiratory training.

Future Research

Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of targeted E-RAGT training programs in improving cardiovascular fitness and reducing cardiometabolic risk factors.

Study Limitations

1
Potential over-estimating exercise intensity and duration by aggregating all three criteria.
2
Small sample size limits the generalizability of the findings.
3
Eligibility criteria was restricted to those with minimal co-morbidities.

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