| 제목 |
Cardiorespiratory responses to 10 weeks of walking with exoskeleton in spinal cord injury patients |
| 소속 |
Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine1, R&D Division of Hyundai Motor Company, Robotics Lab2, Hanyang University Medical Center, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine3 |
| 저자 |
Jae Hyeon Park1*, Hyeon Seong Kim 3, Seong-Ho Jang 1, Dong Jin Hyun 2, SangIn Park 2, JuYoung Yoon 2, Hyunseop Lim 2, Mi Jung Kim3† |
Background: Chronic non-ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have high risk for a sedentary lifestyle and cardiovascular diseases. Robotic exoskeletons have been developed to provide ambulatory function in SCI patients and have a potential to benefit cardiovascular fitness. However, cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to long term walking training with exoskeleton have not been investigated in detail.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to exoskeleton assisted overground walking training for 10 weeks in chronic SCI patients.
Methods: Chronic non-ambulatory SCI patients were recruited. Walking training with exoskeleton was conducted three times a week for 10 weeks. Oxygen consumption and heart rate (HR) were measured during 6 minute walking test at pre-, mid- and post-training. Exercise intensity was determined by metabolic equivalent of tasks for SCI (MET) and HR relative HR reserve (%HRR). Furthermore, walking efficiency was calculated with oxygen consumption divided by walking speed.
Results: Ten participants completed the walking training program with exoskeleton. The exercise intensity by MET (both peak and average) was a moderate level of physical activity and did not changed after training. While %HRR demonstrated a moderate (peak %HRR) and light (average %HRR) exercise intensity level, and average %HRR was decreased significantly after 10 weeks of training. Walking efficiency was improved progressively after training.
Conclusion: The exercise intensity of exoskeleton assisted overground walking was generally consistent with a moderate level. Walking training with exoskeleton for 10 weeks may provide beneficial effects on the cardiorespiratory system in patients with chronic SCI.
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Changes in the exercise intensity measured by the (A) peak and (B) average (avg) metabolic equivalent of task (MET) for persons with spinal cord injury and (C) peak and (D) average heart rate relative to heart rate reserve (%HRR), and (E) O2 cost of walking measured by oxygen consumption (VO2avg in ml/kg/min) divided by walking speed (m/min) (O2walking).
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