Introduction: Spinal cord injury limits severely life expectancy and it causes in a restriction in the activities of the daily life of the subjects who suffer it. Training the gait with portable exoskeletons in subjects with spinal cord injury is a new approach to rehabilitation.
Aim: To examine the usability and acceptability of these devices for gait training in subjects with spinal cord injury.
Patients and methods: A literature search was conducted until February 2017 in the databases: Medline (PubMed, EBSCO), PEDro, Scopus and Web of Science. The methodological quality, the level of scientific evidence and the strength of recommendation were evaluated.
Results: Finally, eight studies were considered recruiting a total of 45 patients. The training programs had an average of 35 sessions and a duration 60 minutes approximately. In general, no adverse events and no relevant increases in pain, blood pressure, heart rate or fatigue were reported. In addition, the satisfaction with the intervention and the perception of quality of life of the participants were quite high.
Conclusions: The rehabilitation of the gait with portable exoskeletons seems to be a safe intervention that generates acceptance and satisfaction among patients with spinal cord injury.
Title: Usabilidad y aceptabilidad de los exoesqueletos portables para el entrenamiento de la marcha en sujetos con lesion medular: revision sistematica.
Introduccion. La lesion medular limita gravemente la esperanza de vida y produce una restriccion en las actividades de la vida diaria de los sujetos que la padecen. El entrenamiento de la marcha con exoesqueletos portables en sujetos que han sufrido una lesion medular supone un nuevo enfoque en su rehabilitacion. Objetivo. Examinar la usabilidad y aceptabilidad de estos dispositivos para el entrenamiento de la marcha en sujetos con lesion medular. Pacientes y metodos. Se realizo una busqueda bibliografica hasta febrero de 2017 en las bases de datos Medline (PubMed, EBSCO), PEDro, Scopus y Web of Science. Se evaluaron la calidad metodologica, el nivel de evidencia cientifica y la fuerza de recomendacion. Resultados. Finalmente, se consideraron ocho trabajos, que seleccionaron a un total de 45 pacientes. Los programas de entrenamiento tuvieron una media de 35 sesiones y una duracion aproximada de 60 minutos. En general, no se describieron efectos adversos importantes ni incrementos relevantes del dolor, la presion arterial, la frecuencia cardiaca o la fatiga. Ademas, la satisfaccion con la intervencion y la percepcion de la calidad de vida de los participantes fueron altas. Conclusiones. La rehabilitacion de la marcha con exoesqueletos portables genera aceptacion y satisfaccion entre los pacientes con lesion medular.