Impaired stroke survivors ‘could benefit from robotic therapy’

A new study has revealed the potential benefits that robotic assistance systems can provide for severely impaired or immobilised stroke survivors.

The Italy-based research, which was spearheaded by the Santa Lucia Foundation, has evaluated two-year mobility outcomes in 48 stroke survivors, half of whom received standard overground gait rehabilitation and the other half of whom also received electromechanical robotic gait training.

This robotic technique involved the application of electromechanical platforms to the patients' feet, which are controlled by a physical therapist to adjust bearing weight and walking pace.

It was found that five times more patients were able to walk without assistance using the robotic training method after two years, although this outcome was only noted among the most severely impaired patients.

Dr Giovanni Morone, lead researcher and from the Santa Lucia Foundation's Institute for Research Hospitalization and Health Care, said: "In others it seemed to make little difference, so the patient selection for this type of treatment is most important."

According to NHS data, strokes are the third largest cause of death in England, affecting more than 150,000 people each year.