A design of an ambulatory training device with external cues for stroke patients

Stroke is one of the most common diseases among older population. During the rehabilitation process, it is important for stroke survivors to retrieve independent mobility. Gait training in clinical practice largely relied on therapists' clinical experiences. Proper cues are usually offered to stroke patients to facilitate better gait patterns. However, in the absence of therapists, stroke patients may develop abnormal walking patterns due to lack of cues, which would affect their future rehabilitation largely. So the purpose of this study was to develop a novel assistive device which can provide external cues during gait training to stroke patients. We hope this device could help stroke patients to enhance gait training efficiency. In this study, a novel assistive device with external cues using sensors and embedded system was established. Three stroke patients were recruited and their gait performances and gait symmetry as outcome measures were collected by Vicon motion system. The results showed that when use the assistive device, subjects’ stride length increased 17.12% and 20.16% that used 1 and 2 lacer target respectively, step length of affected side increased 9.53% and 20.6%, step length of sound side increased 34.15% and 36.2%, single foot swing time of affected side increased 15.17% and 27.58%, and single foot swing time of sound side increased 21.29% and 10.18%. The step length symmetry also increase 10% and 26%. All of the above-mentioned parameters revealed clinical importance. The device we developed has been basically proved to be helpful in stroke gait performance. It may be potentially useful in general clinical rehabilitation for normalizing walking patterns and performances to stroke patients.