Background: Robotic solutions for ankle joint physical therapy have extensively been researched. The optimal frequency and intensity of training for patients when using the ankle robot is not known which can affect rehabilitation outcome.
Objective: To explore the optimal ankle robot training protocol on foot drop in stroke subjects.
Methods: Subjects were randomly divided into four groups, with 9 in each group. The subjects received different intensities (low or high intensity) with frequencies (1 session/day or 2 sessions/day) of robot combination training. Each session lasted 20 minutes and all subjects were trained 5 days a week for 3 weeks.
Results: After 3 weeks of treatment, all groups showed an improvement in passive and active ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (PROM and AROM) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment for lower extremity (FMA-LE) compared to pre-treatment. When training at the same level of intensity, patients who received 2 sessions/day of training had better improvement in ankle dorsiflexion PROM than those who received 1 session/day. In terms of the improvement in dorsiflexion AROM and FMA-LE, patients who received 2 sessions/day with high intensity training improved better than other protocols.
Conclusion: High frequency and high intensity robot training can be more effective in improving ankle dysfunction.
Keywords: Ankle joint; foot drop; robotics; stroke rehabilitation.