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Use of Robot-Assisted Ankle Training in a Patient with an Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

Authors :
Kazunori Koseki
Kazushi Takahashi
Satoshi Yamamoto
Kenichi Yoshikawa
Atsushi Abe
Hirotaka Mutsuzaki
Source :
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, Vol 8, Iss 1, p 31 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Rehabilitation interventions are crucial in promoting neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury (SCI). We provided rehabilitation with a single-joint hybrid assistive limb (HAL-SJ) ankle joint unit (HAL-T) in a patient with incomplete SCI. The patient had incomplete paraplegia and SCI (neurological injury height: L1, ASIA Impairment Scale: C, ASIA motor score (R/L) L4:0/0, S1:1/0) following a rupture fracture of the first lumbar vertebra. The HAL-T consisted of a combination of ankle plantar dorsiflexion exercises in the sitting position, knee flexion, and extension exercises in the standing position, and stepping exercises in the standing position with HAL assistance. The plantar dorsiflexion angles of the left and right ankle joints and electromyograms of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were measured and compared using a three-dimensional motion analyzer and surface electromyography before and after HAL-T intervention. Phasic electromyographic activity was developed in the left tibialis anterior muscle during plantar dorsiflexion of the ankle joint after the intervention. No changes were observed in the left and right ankle joint angles. We experienced a case in which intervention using HAL-SJ induced muscle potentials in a patient with a spinal cord injury who was unable to perform voluntary ankle movements due to severe motor–sensory dysfunction.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
24115142
Volume :
8
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.910f98dc0cb14cd3a0523f242c96a92d
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk8010031