Robot-Driven Device Improves Crouch Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy
From: Medical Design Technology - 07/28/2017

In the US, 3.6 out of 1000 school-aged children are diagnosed with cerebral
palsy (CP). Their symptoms include abnormal gait patterns which results in
joint degeneration over time. Slow walking speed, reduced range of motion of
the joints, small step length, large body sway, and absence of a heel strike
are other difficulties that children with CP experience. A subset of these
children exhibit crouch gait which is characterized by excessive flexion of
the hips, knees, or ankles.

A team led by Sunil Agrawal, professor of mechanical engineering and of
rehabilitation and regenerative medicine at Columbia Engineering, has
published a pilot study in Science Robotics that demonstrates a robotic
training method that improves posture and walking in children with crouch
gait by enhancing their muscle strength and coordination.

The research group knew that the soleus, the major weight-bearing muscle
during single stance support, is activated more strongly among the lower leg
muscles when more weight is added to the human body during gait. They
reasoned that strengthening the soleus might help children with crouch gait
to stand and walk more easily.

They found that their training was effective; it both enhanced the children's
upright posture and improved their muscle coordination. In addition, their
walking features, including step length, range of motion of the lower limb
angles, toe clearance, and heel-to-toe pattern, improved.

The researchers are planning more clinical trials, to test a larger group and
changing more variables. They are also considering studying children with
hemiplegic / quadriplegic CP.

Read the entire article at:
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2017/07/robot-driven-device-improves-crouch-gait-children-cerebral-palsy

Links:
Sunil Agrawal
http://me.columbia.edu/sunil-agrawal

Roar Lab
https://roar.me.columbia.edu

Robot-driven downward pelvic pull to improve crouch gait in children with
  cerebral palsy
http://robotics.sciencemag.org/content/2/8/eaan2634

PD May Not Affect the Ability to Walk with Perturbations, Researchers Say
http://www.rehabpub.com/2017/12/pd-may-not-affect-ability-walk-perturbations-according-researchers

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