The Effects of Exoskeleton Assisted Knee Extension on Lower-Extremity Gait Kinematics, Kinetics, and Muscle Activity in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

ABSTRACT: Individuals with cerebral palsy often exhibit crouch gait, a debilitating and inefficient walking pattern marked by excessive knee flexion that worsens with age. To address the need for improved treatment, we sought to evaluate if providing external knee extension assistance could reduce the excessive burden placed on the knee extensor muscles as measured by knee moments. We evaluated a novel pediatric exoskeleton designed to provide appropriately-timed extensor torque to the knee joint during walking in a multi-week exploratory clinical study. Seven individuals (5-19 years) with mild-moderate crouch gait from cerebral palsy (GMFCS I-II) completed the study. For six participants, powered knee extension assistance favorably reduced the excessive stance-phase knee extensor moment present dur

SUBMITTER: Lerner ZF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5647342 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature