Kammen, K. van (Klaske) (2014) Muscle activity during robot assisted gait: the combined effects of guidance forces, bodyweight support and gait speed. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction. To design training specific protocols for robot assisted gait training, it is crucial to understand the neuromuscular coordination of robot assisted gait, and how this is altered by variation of training parameters. Therefore, the present study assessed the effects of guidance on gait related muscle activity, and how these effects depend on the other two training parameters (i.e. body weight support (BWS) and gait speed). Method. Ten healthy participants walked in the Lokomat exoskeleton, a commercial available robotic gait trainer, with varying levels of guidance force (0%, 50% and 100%), BWS (0% and 50% of the participants’ body weight) and gait speed (0.8, 1.8, and 2.8 km/h), while temporal step characteristics and muscle activity from Erector Spinae (ES), Gluteus Medius (GM), Vastus Lateralis (VL), Biceps Femoris (BF), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM), and Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscles were recorded. Results. The temporal structuring of the stepping pattern was altered by the provision of BWS, i.e. shortening of DS1 phase duration and concomitant lengthening of SS phase duration. In addition, phase-specific reductions in muscle amplitude were seen when guidance (ES, GM, BF, MG) or BWS (all muscles) was provided, while the effect of gait speed was more complex showing both reductions (ES, GM, BF) and increases (GM, VL, BF, TA, MG) when treadmill speed was increased. These effects were observed irrespective of one another. Conclusion. Variations in training parameters alter neuromuscular control and temporal stepping patterns. When normative gait patterns are targeted during training, extremely low levels of guidance should be avoided, as should high levels of BWS. In addition, high levels of gait speed should be favoured. Keywords. Electromyography; Robotics; Neurorehabilitation; Gait; Body Weight Support
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otter, A.R. den |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Apr 2022 13:00 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Apr 2022 13:00 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3027 |
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