Comprehensive Summary
Kim et al. analyzed the effectiveness of robot-assisted gait therapy (RAGT) combined with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to support lower limb function, balance, and gait in chronic stroke patients. Individually, HIIT and RAGT have proven to support gait in patients with chronic stroke, but the study by Kim et al. sought to specifically determine how the combination of the two would affect these patients. The researchers conducted a trial with 48 chronic stroke patients, assigning them to a control group (treadmill gait therapy) and an intervention group (HIIT combined with RAGT) at random. Over the span of 8 weeks, the groups trained for 30 minutes for three days a week, while the researchers utilized the 10-meter walk test, Functional Ambulation Category, Berg Balance Scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity, VO2 max, Modified Barthel Index, and lean body mass to record the results with IBM SPSS Statistics version 25. The results indicated that the intervention group experienced greater scores in all of the tests, albeit with minimal changes to lean body mass; this highlights potential benefits of RAGT and HIIT combination in supporting gait in the chronic stroke patients.
Outcomes and Implications
Ranking as the third main cause of disability in the world, stroke has negatively impacted many global health systems. Motor impairment and gait disturbances are common symptoms of chronic stroke patients, which ultimately cause challenges in daily activities and social life. The research conducted by Kim et al. suggests that the synergy between HIIT and RAGT have great potential to improve gait, fitness, and daily activities; functional recovery in this population is within reach with continuous research in the field in the near future, lightening burden on global health systems simultaneously.