Objective: This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients achieving independent gait through Robot-Assisted Gait Training, based on their condition at the onset of the training.Methods: The subjects were patients after stroke who underwent 4 weeks of gait training using the Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL, Cyberdyne, Inc.). The assessment items were Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) for lower extremity, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised (HDS-R). Patients with a FAC score of 3 or higher were classified as the independent group, while those with a FAC score of 2 or lower were classified as the assistance group. A univariate analysis was conducted with a significance level set at 5%.Results: Ten patients were in the independent group (mean age 73.2±13.8 years), while 7 patients were in the assistance group (mean age 83.6±6.1 years). The independent group demonstrated significantly higher scores in SIAS total score, BBS, FIM, and HDS-R (p<0.05). Additionally, the SIAS subscales assessing knee joint function, lower limb range of motion, abdominal muscle strength, verticality, and quadriceps muscle strength on the non-paralyzed side were all significantly higher in the independent group (p<0.05).Conclusion: Patients achieving independent gait through training with HAL were younger, exhibited lower levels of functional disability, demonstrated better balance, and showed a greater capacity to perform activities of daily living and cognitive function.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients achieving independent gait through Robot-Assisted Gait Training, based on their condition at the onset of the training.Methods: The subjects were patients after stroke who underwent 4 weeks of gait training using the Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL, Cyberdyne, Inc.). The assessment items were Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) for lower extremity, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised (HDS-R). Patients with a FAC score of 3 or higher were classified as the independent group, while those with a FAC score of 2 or lower were classified as the assistance group. A univariate analysis was conducted with a significance level set at 5%.Results: Ten patients were in the independent group (mean age 73.2±13.8 years), while 7 patients were in the assistance group (mean age 83.6±6.1 years). The independent group demonstrated significantly higher scores in SIAS total score, BBS, FIM, and HDS-R (p<0.05). Additionally, the SIAS subscales assessing knee joint function, lower limb range of motion, abdominal muscle strength, verticality, and quadriceps muscle strength on the non-paralyzed side were all significantly higher in the independent group (p<0.05).Conclusion: Patients achieving independent gait through training with HAL were younger, exhibited lower levels of functional disability, demonstrated better balance, and showed a greater capacity to perform activities of daily living and cognitive function.

Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread worldwide. In Japan, From April 16 to May 25, 2020, a state of emergency was declared and people were “strongly requested to refrain from going out unnecessarily and thoroughly reduce contact with others.” As a result, the number of steps of all generations was expected to be lower than usual due to the novel coronavirus disease pandemic. This study investigated the weather walking steps decrease in the collegiate student due to COVID-19. A total of 221 collegiate students used their smartphones to enter the average number of steps taken every month from January to May. The number of steps taken by all students was 4,988±2,345 steps in January, 5182±2,516 steps in February, 5,118±2,291 steps in March, 3,281±1,689 steps in April, and 2,834±1,676 steps in May. A comparison between sex groups showed that the number of steps in April and May was significantly different (p<0.05), which means that the steps of women group was lower than that of men. These results suggest that the number of steps taken by students decreased with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease.

The purpose of this study was to measure and analyze peroneus longus reaction time (PRT) as well as ankle movement during ankle sprain simulation. PRT was measured for six control ankles and six unstable ankles with an inversion ankle sprain (1 male and 5 females per group, respectively) using an ankle inverting platform and high speed camera. The unstable group showed a significantly slower PRT (58.8±8.7 ms) than the control group (46.5±8.1 ms). The inversion angular velocity was significantly faster in the unstable group (152.8±62.6 d/s) than the control group (83.2±38.4 d/s). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding ankle eversion time. Our results indicate that it is important to lead an unstable ankle to reduce inversion angular velocity to prevent recurrent inversion ankle sprain.