Effects of robot-assisted gait training alongside conventional therapy on the development of walking in children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) alongside conventional therapy on the standing and walking abilities of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: The study sample consisted of children (aged 4-18 years) with CP whose gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) was at levels I-V. In total, 75 children with CP were evaluated and 38 patients completed the study. Patients were divided into two groups as GMFCS levels I-III (Group 1) and levels IV-V (Group 2). RAGT (30 min/session) and conventional physiotherapy (30 min/session) were applied together in the treatment. The treatment duration was 60 min per session, 3 or 4 sessions per week, for a total of 30 sessions over 8-10 weeks. 10-meter walk test (10MWT), 6-min walk test (6MinWT), gross motor functional measurement 66 (GMFM66) -D, and -E tests were performed.

Results: We showed that in both groups of CP patients (mild-moderate and severe), meaningful improvements were seen in the standing (D) and walking (E) sections of GMFM-66 after treatment. When we compared the post-treatment changes in 10-m walk test, 6-min walk test, GMFM66-D, and -E between Groups 1 and 2, we noted that the improvements were statistically significant in favor of Group 1 (p< 0.01).

Conclusion: RAGT in combination with a conventional treatment program was significantly associated with improvements in the standing and walking abilities of children with mild to moderate CP (GMFCS levels I-III).