The Effect of Robot-Assisted Versus Standard Training on Motor Function Following Subacute Rehabilitation after Ischemic Stroke – a randomised controlled trial nested in a prospective cohort (RoboRehab)

Stroke is the collective term for acute focal injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) caused by a disturbance in the blood circulation of the brain i.e., cerebral infarction (ischemic stroke) or intracerebral haemorrhage (haemorrhagic stroke). Body weight unloading (BWU) has been suggested as a method of training for people with neurological disorders suffering from severe limitations in walking ability. BWU is the application of a vertical upwards force on the body centre of mass, thereby alleviating individuals of supporting their own body weight against gravity. However, the efficacy of BWU-based training is unclear. Thus, the aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) nested in a prospective cohort, is to investigate the effect of late-phase robot-assisted versus standard training on motor function, physical function, fatigue, and quality of life in a moderately-to-severely impaired chronic stroke population following subacute rehabilitation.

The main hypothesis of the study is: Robot-assisted training has a superior effect on motor function (Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment; primary outcome), physical function, fatigue, and quality of life in moderately-to-severely impaired chronic stroke-affected individuals in comparison to standard training.