Effect of robot-assisted versus conventional body-weight-supported treadmill training on quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis

摘要

This study describes the effect of bodyweightsupported treadmill training (BWSTT) on quality of life (QoL) for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Thirteen individuals with MS and gait impairment randomly received two blocks of six biweekly training sessions (1) robotassisted BWSTT then BWSTT alone (RT) or (2) BWSTT alone then robotassisted BWSTT (TR). No statistically significant differences were found between robotassisted BWSTT and unassisted BWSTT for improving QoL outcome measures. The change in Physical Component Summary scores from baseline to the end of the 12 training sessions improved significantly more in the RT than the TR group. Withinparticipant longitudinal changes in QoL for all participants from both groups combined showed significant improvements in 5 of the 13 QoL measures. The results of this pilot study suggest that both types of BWSTT may improve QoL for people with gait dysfunction secondary to MS.