Can robot-assisted gait training improve walking and activity abilities in persons with spinal cord injury? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - Summary - MDSpire
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Can robot-assisted gait training improve walking and activity abilities in persons with spinal cord injury? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
To determine the efficacy of robot-assisted gait training on walking and mobility abilities in persons with spinal cord injury through systematic reviews and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Key Findings:
Robot-assisted gait training significantly improved walking ability as measured by the 6-min walk test (SMD = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.12–1.03, p = 0.01) and Spinal Cord Injury Walking Index II score (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.13–0.84, p = 0.007).
Functional independence scores improved significantly in the robot-assisted gait training group (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.05–0.72, p = 0.02).
No significant difference was observed in lower limb muscle strength improvement between the two groups (SMD = 0.03, 95% CI: -0.27–0.34, p = 0.84).
Interpretation:
Limitations:
The meta-analysis included only 8 RCTs with a total of 241 participants, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Variability in study designs and outcome measures across included trials may affect the consistency of results.
