The study aimed to examine the effect of robot‐assisted training in community-dwelling older adults using a passive lower-limb exoskeleton device, and examine the comparative effects of passive exoskeleton-assisted gait training and conventional gait training on motor and daily function improvements.
The study was conducted using a randomized pre-post design. Thirty community-dwelling older adults aged over 60 years were recruited randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (1) passive exoskeleton-assisted gait training group, and (2) conventional gait training group. All participants received 12 sessions of training, 3 sessions a week for 4 consecutive weeks, and outcome assessments were performed before and after the completion of 12-sessions training. Outcome assessments included Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and 10-meter walk test (10MWT), Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale (NEADL), and Functional Abilities Confidence Scale (FACS).
Both trainings showed positive effects in improving motor function, measured by FTSST, TUG, and 10MWT. The FTSST and 10MWT showed a more improvement in participants receiving passive exoskeleton-assisted gait training than those receiving conventional gait training. Regarding daily function, both trainings showed positive trend in improving FACS scores, suggest that participants increased confidence level of performing movements.
Our findings suggest both passive exoskeleton-assisted gait training group, and conventional gait training were effective in improving motor and daily function in community-dwelling older adults. Passive exoskeleton-assisted gait training exhibited greater benefits in improving motor function, compared with conventional gait training.
This study provided an innovative health promotion program in enhancing motor function in community dwelling older adults. Passive exoskeleton-assisted training programs could promote daily function of older adults, and possibly reduce the medical expenses of long-term care system. The findings of the study can help professionals to understand the effects of the passive lower-limb exoskeleton-assisted training and promote the application of clinical empirical research.
exoskeleton
motor function
