Energy cost and psychological impact of robotic-assisted gait training in people with spinal cord injury: effect of two different types of devices

In the last years, there has been an intense technological development of robotic devices for gait rehabilitation in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. The aim present study was to evaluate energy cost and psychological impact during a program with two different types systems (stationary system on treadmill, Lokomat, overground walking system, Ekso GT). Fifteen SCI patients levels underwent robot-assisted training sessions, divided into 2 phases: first phase, all subjects completed 3 sessions both Lokomat GT. Afterwards, participants were randomly assigned or 17 sessions. A questionnaire, investigating subjective (SPI) training, administered. functional outcome measures oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), metabolic equivalent task (MET), economy, heart rate (HR). responses (7.73 ± 1.02 mL/kg/min) MET values (3.20 1.01) resulted be higher than those treadmill (3.91 0.93 mL/kg/min 1.58 0.44; p < 0.01). Both showed high scores emotion satisfaction. Overground fatigue, mental effort, discomfort while score muscle relaxation. All improvements economy due decrease increased speed workload. robotic-assisted needs cognitive cardiovascular efforts treadmill.