In a specialized spinal cord injury center in Denmark, a significant breakthrough has been made with a robotic device named ROBERT® being tested for its feasibility to aid in strengthening hip flexor muscles post spinal cord injury (SCI).
The study oversaw the recruitment of patients within three months of their SCI, where four individuals stood as participants. Under the trial protocol, each patient underwent 60 repetitions of hip flexion aided by the ROBERT® device, three times a week over a four-week period. The adherence rate was noteworthy, with participants completing 44 out of 48 sessions, indicating a 92% completion rate.
Throughout the study, no adverse events were reported, and the exercises were well-received by patients as a beneficial supplement to traditional physiotherapy. The findings suggest that the ROBERT® device could provide a promising solution to challenges of physical demands and time consumption typically placed on therapists during rehabilitation exercises.
The feasibility of recruitment for the trial was less optimal, as only an 8% recruitment rate was achieved within seven months. The screening process revealed that a substantial number of patients were deemed too strong for the criteria, which required grade 1-3 muscle strength.
Source: Nature.com