BACKGROUND Previous clinical studies have reported inconsistent results for RAGT in the acute, subacute, and chronic stages of stroke rehabilitation. Chang et al. observed that exoskeleton-device-based RAGT has positive effects on sensorimotor function (16.18%) in 20 acute hemiparetic stroke patients, whereas Taveggia et al. showed no significant effects on gait in the 6-min walk test in 13 subacute stroke patients. Michiel et al. reported that exoskeleton-device-based RAGT has more positive effects on balance (38.75%) and ambulation ability (52.00%) in the FAC than CPT alone in the chronic stage. However, whether such treadmill-based stationary exoskeletal RAGT has any differences in the recovery of the sensorimotor function, balance, gait, and ADL performance between the acute, subacute, and chronic stages in stroke patients are unknown. Hence, the clinical decisions upon which stage of recovery RAGT should be prescribed and implemented to obtain optimal results remain controvers
Walkbot is a state-of-the-art lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robot that provides natural walking movements and various training programs for patients with walking disorders due to stroke, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, etc