Specific Instructions Are Important: A Cross-sectional Study on Device Parameters and Instruction Types While Walking With a Robot in Children and Adolescents.

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate how gait kinematics and muscle activity during robot-assisted gait training are affected by different combinations of parameter settings and a number of instruction types, ranging from no instructions to goal-specific instructions.

Design: Robots for gait therapy provide a haptic guidance, but too much guidance can limit the active participation. Therapists can stimulate this active participation either with instructions or by adapting device parameters.

The FreeD module's lateral translation timing in the gait robot Lokomat: a manual adaptation is necessary.

Background: Pelvic and trunk movements are often restricted in stationary robotic gait trainers. The optional FreeD module of the driven gait orthosis Lokomat offers a combined, guided lateral translation and transverse rotation of the pelvis and may therefore support weight shifting during walking. However, from clinical experience, it seems that the default setting of this timing does not correspond well with the timing of the physiological pelvic movement during the gait cycle.

Clustering trunk movements of children and adolescents with neurological gait disorders undergoing robot-assisted gait therapy: the functional ability determines if actuated pelvis movements are clinically useful.

Introduction: Robot-assisted gait therapy is frequently used for gait therapy in children and adolescents but has been shown to limit the physiological excursions of the trunk and pelvis. Actuated pelvis movements might support more physiological trunk patterns during robot-assisted training. However, not every patient is expected to react identically to actuated pelvis movements.

An Increase in Kinematic Freedom in the Lokomat Is Related to the Ability to Elicit a Physiological Muscle Activity Pattern: A Secondary Data Analysis Investigating Differences Between Guidance Force, Path Control, and FreeD.

Robot-assisted gait therapy is a fast-growing field in pediatric neuro-rehabilitation. Understanding how these constantly developing technologies work is a prerequisite for shaping clinical application. For the Lokomat, two new features are supposed to increase patients' movement variability and should enable a more physiological gait pattern: and .

Correction to: The FreeD module for the Lokomat facilitates a physiological movement pattern in healthy people - a proof of concept study.

The original article [1] contains an error whereby the legends of Figs. 3 and 4 are erroneously swapped. As such, the correct configuration of these legends can be seen in the same figures below instead.

The FreeD module for the Lokomat facilitates a physiological movement pattern in healthy people - a proof of concept study.

Background: A contralateral pelvic drop, a transverse rotation and a lateral translation of the pelvis are essential features of normal human gait. These motions are often restricted in robot-assisted gait devices. The optional FreeD module of the driven gait orthosis Lokomat (Hocoma AG, Switzerland) incorporates guided lateral translation and transverse rotation of the pelvis.

Can Lokomat therapy with children and adolescents be improved? An adaptive clinical pilot trial comparing Guidance force, Path control, and FreeD.

Background: Robot-assisted gait therapy is increasingly being used in pediatric neurorehabilitation to complement conventional physical therapy. The robotic device applied in this study, the Lokomat (Hocoma AG, Switzerland), uses a position control mode (Guidance Force), where exact positions of the knee and hip joints throughout the gait cycle are stipulated. Such a mode has two disadvantages: Movement variability is restricted, and patients tend to walk passively.

Practical Recommendations for Robot-Assisted Treadmill Therapy (Lokomat) in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Indications, Goal Setting, and Clinical Implementation within the WHO-ICF Framework.

Active participation and the highest level of independence during daily living are primary goals in neurorehabilitation. Therefore, standing and walking are key factors in many rehabilitation programs. Despite inconclusive evidence considering the best application and efficacy of robotic tools in the field of pediatric neurorehabilitation, robotic technologies have been implemented to complement conventional therapies in recent years.

Leg surface electromyography patterns in children with neuro-orthopedic disorders walking on a treadmill unassisted and assisted by a robot with and without encouragement.

Background: Robot-assisted gait training and treadmill training can complement conventional physical therapy in children with neuro-orthopedic movement disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate surface electromyography (sEMG) activity patterns during robot-assisted gait training (with and without motivating instructions from a therapist) and unassisted treadmill walking and to compare these with physiological sEMG patterns.

Methods: Nine children with motor impairments and eight healthy children walked in various conditions: (a) on a treadmill in the driven gait orthosis Lokomat®, (b) same condition, with additional motivational instructions from a therapist, and (c) on the treadmill without assistance.