Integrated, Practice-oriented Electromechanical-assisted Gait Training in Subacute Stroke Patients

Background and Rationale: Every year, more than a 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke1. Despite laborious rehabilitation programs 70% of those stroke patients still show limited gait ability after three months. Numerous RCTs have shown the superiority of over ground gait training and electromechanical-assisted gait devices in comparison with conventional over ground gait training alone. (Jan Mehrholz, Elsner, Werner, Kugler, \& Pohl, 2013) However, most of these trials used the electromechanical-assisted gait devices in a very high frequency which is almost impossible to achieve in daily clinical routine. Therefore, the effect of a practice-oriented physical therapy protocol including electromechanical-assisted gait training remains unclear. Objective(s): The aim of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of an integrated, practice-orientated individual physical therapy protocol with or without electromechanical-assisted gait training in subacute stroke patients, respectively. The effects of both physical therapy protocols will be compared with validated assessments covering the different components of the ICF framework: function, activity and participation. Primary objectives: Effects on gait ability and on basic activities of daily living (ADL). Secondary objectives: Effects on walking speed, walking capacity, functional mobility, muscle force, spasticity and reintegration to normal living (RNLI). Furthermore, different training-related data are recorded to capture the efficiency (intensity and hassle) of both physical therapy protocols.