Toward improving functional recovery in spinal cord injury using robotics: a pilot study focusing on ankle rehabilitation.

Background: Conventional physical therapy interventions are strongly recommended to improve ambulation potential and upright mobility in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Ankle rehabilitation plays a significant role, as it aims to stem drop foot consequences.

Research Question: This pilot study aimed to assess the neurophysiological underpinnings of robot-aided ankle rehabilitation (using a platform robot) compared to conventional physiotherapy and its efficacy in improving gait performance and balance in persons with iSCI.

Methods: Ten individuals with subacute/chronic iSCI (six males and four females, 39 ± 13 years, time since injury 8 ± 4 months, ASIA impairment scale grade C-D) were provided with one-month intensive training for robot-aided ankle rehabilitation (24 sessions, 1 h daily, six times a week). Clinical (10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG)), and electrophysiological aftereffects (surface-EMG from tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles to estimate muscle activation patterns; and corticomuscular coherence-CMC-to assess functional synchronization between sensorimotor cortex and muscles, i.e. the functional integrity of corticospinal output) were assessed at baseline (PRE) and after the trial completion (POST). The experimental group (EG) data were compared with those coming from a retrospective control group (CG; n = 10) matched for clinical-demographic characteristics, who previously underwent conventional ankle rehabilitation.

Results: the EG achieved a greater improvement in balance and gait as compared to the CG (TUG EG from 70 ± 18 to 45 ± 15 s, p = 0.002; CG from 68 ± 21 to 48 ± 18 s, p = 0.01; group-comparison p = 0.001; 10MWT EG from 0.43 ± 0.11 to 0.51 ± 0.09 m/s, p = 0.006; CG from 0.4 ± 0.13 to 0.45 ± 0.12, p = 0.01; group-comparison p = 0.006; 6 MWT EG from 231 ± 13 to 274 ± 15 m, p < 0.001; CG from 236 ± 13 to 262 ± 15 m, p = 0.003; group-comparison p = 0.01). Furthermore, the EG showed a retraining of muscle activation (an increase within proper movements, with a reduction of co-contractions) and CMC (beta frequency increase within proper movements, i.e. in a framework of preserved motor coordination). The improvements in CMC, gait, balance, and muscle activation were not correlated with each other.

Conclusions: Robot-aided ankle rehabilitation improved gait performance by selectively ameliorating CMC, muscle activation patterns, and, lastly, gait balance and speed. Despite CMC, gait, balance, and muscle activation were not correlated, this pilot study suggests that robot-aided ankle rehabilitation may favor a better communication between above-SCI and below-SCI structures. This communication improvement may depend on a more synchronized corticospinal output (as per CMC increase) and a better responsiveness of below-SCI motorneurons to corticospinal output (as per specific and ankle movement focused muscle activation increases at the surface EMG), thus favoring greater recruitment of spinal motor units and, ultimately, improving muscle activation pattern and strength.

Significance: Adopting robot-aided ankle rehabilitation protocols for persons with iSCI in the subacute/chronic phase may allow achieving a clinically significant improvement in gait performance.