Overall aim is to evaluate HAL for gait training early after stroke and the effect of HAL on short- and long-term functioning, disability and health compared to conventional gait training as part of an inpatient rehabilitation program early after stroke.
To compare outcome after 4 weeks of gait training with HAL vs. 4 weeks of conventional gait training as part of a regular inpatient rehabilitation program for hemiparetic patients with severely limited mobility early after stroke. Study design: Randomized, controlled study with blinded outcome assessment. Conventional gait training is individualized and performed according to current practice (approximately 30-60 minutes/session, 5 days a week) and may include standing, weight shifting, stepping, over ground walking with assistance and/or assistant devices as well as the use of a treadmill and body weight support. Conventional gait training is offered to both study groups. Training with HAL is performed in 1 session per day, 4 days per week during 4 weeks. Time for each session is individualised but does not exceed 60 minutes/session (effective time). Training with HAL is performed in combination with body-weight support system and on a treadmill. The training program is performed by 2 physiotherapists, who have been trained in the HAL method.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
32
Training with HAL is performed in 1 session per day, 4 days per week during 4 weeks. Time for each session is individualised but does not exceed 60 minutes/session (effective time). Training with HAL is performed in combination with body-weight support system and on a treadmill. The training program is performed by 2 physiotherapists, who have been trained in the HAL method.
Conventional gait training is individualized and performed according to current practice (approximately 30-60 minutes/session, 5 days a week) and may include standing, weight shifting, stepping, over ground walking with assistance and/or assistant devices as well as the use of a treadmill and body weight support. Conventional gait training is offered to both study groups.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyd Hospital
Danderyd, Stockholm County, Sweden
Change in Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC)
Level of independence in walking, range 0-5
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, after 4 weeks of training and 6 months after stroke
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