Effect of robot-assisted stair climbing training as part of a rehabilitation program to improve pulmonary function, gait performance, balance, and exercise capacity in a patient after severe coronavirus disease 2019: a case report.

Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may decrease respiratory and physical functions.

Objective: To evaluate whether robot-assisted stair climbing training (RASCT) would improve pulmonary and physical functions in a patient post-severe COVID-19 infection.

Case Description: A 48-year-old woman who had experienced severe COVID-19 underwent a 6-week inpatient rehabilitation. She persistently exhibited impaired pulmonary and physical functions, including walking and balance impairment. We provided a 30-min outpatient RASCT biweekly for 6 weeks.

Outcomes: After training, maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory pressures improved from 81 and 74 cmHO to 104 and 81 cmHO, respectively. The walking speed improved from 1.15 to 1.21 m/s. In balance ability, physical performance battery score and timed up-and-go test improved from 8 to 11 s and 10.89 to 9.95 s, respectively. Regarding exercise capacity, the 6-min walk test distance improved from 453 to 482 m, and the number of 1-min sit-to-stand test improved from 20 to 23, with improved pulse rate and saturation level. The physical and psychological domain scores of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-BREF improved from 44 to 63 and 69 to 81, respectively; Falls Efficacy Scale-International scores improved from 38 to 21.

Conclusion: RASCT, as part of a rehabilitation plan, was feasible and effective for this patient after severe COVID-19 infection.