Effect of powered gait orthosis on walking in individuals with paraplegia.

BACKGROUND The important purpose of a powered gait orthosis is to provide active joint movement for patients with spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of a powered gait orthosis on the kinematics and temporal-spatial parameters in paraplegics with spinal cord injury. STUDY DESIGN Quasi-experimental. METHODS Four spinal cord injury individuals experienced gait training with a powered gait orthosis for a minimum of 6 weeks prior to participating in the following walking trials: walking with an isocentric reciprocating gait orthosis and walking with both separate and synchronized movements with actuated orthotic hip and knee joints in a powered gait orthosis. Specific parameters were calculated and compared for each of the test conditions. RESULTS Using separate and synchronized actuated movement of the hip and knee joints in the powered gait orthosis increased gait speed and step length and reduced lateral and vertical compensatory motions when compared to the isocentric reciprocating gait orthosis, but there were no significant differences in these parameters. Using the new powered gait orthosis improved knee and hip joint kinematics. CONCLUSIONS The powered gait orthosis increased speed and step length as well as hip and knee joint kinematics and reduced the vertical and lateral compensatory motions compared to an isocentric reciprocating gait orthosis in spinal cord injury patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This new powered gait orthosis has the potential to improve hip and knee joint kinematics, the temporal-spatial parameters of gait in spinal cord injury patients walking.