Shihomi Kawasaki, Koji Ohata, Tadao Tsuboyama, Yuichi Sawada, Yoshiyuki Higashi
IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot. 2017 Jul;2017:304-307. doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2017.8009264.
This research developed a device that can be attached to the conventional Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthosis for controlling the knee in individuals after stroke. The device automatically assists the flexion and extension movements of the knee joint at the appropriate timing. We aimed to clarify the effect of this device on gait performance, kinematic pattern and muscle activation during gait. Seventeen participants after stroke were recruited in this study. They walked with this device for 3 minutes, and we measured the 10m gait time, number of steps, knee motion using electric goniometer and muscle activities of lower limbs during gait. The gait speed, number of steps, and range of knee joint improved by using the device with assist, and those changes remained without assist. For muscle activities measured by electromyography in the lower limbs, although the device only assists one side of the limb, it was able to alter EMG of both paretic and non-paretic limbs. By assisting only the paretic knee movements, the device was able to improve the performance, kinematic pattern and muscle activation during gait, which remained as an aftereffect.
本研究开发了一种装置，该装置可附着于传统的膝踝足矫形器上，用于控制中风后个体的膝关节。该装置在适当的时机自动辅助膝关节的屈伸运动。我们旨在阐明该装置对步态表现、运动学模式以及步态期间肌肉激活的影响。本研究招募了17名中风后参与者。他们佩戴该装置行走3分钟，我们测量了10米步态时间、步数、使用电子测角仪测量的膝关节运动以及步态期间下肢的肌肉活动。使用辅助装置时，步态速度、步数和膝关节活动范围得到改善，且在无辅助的情况下这些变化依然存在。对于通过肌电图测量的下肢肌肉活动，尽管该装置仅辅助肢体的一侧，但它能够改变患侧和非患侧肢体的肌电图。通过仅辅助患侧膝关节运动，该装置能够改善步态期间的表现、运动学模式和肌肉激活，且这些改善会作为后效应持续存在。
