Effectiveness of the Walkbot system in patients with infantile cerebral palsy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Estimating the effectiveness of robotic mechanotherapy is crucial in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Walkbot robotic complex (Walkbot, Korea) in children with cerebral palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 35 patients with infantile cerebral palsy who received courses of rehabilitation therapy based on the state autonomous institution “City Children’s Polyclinic No. 7.” A comparative analysis of the functional motor outcomes between two groups of children with cerebral palsy was performed. Group 1 was treated with locomotor therapy on the Walkbot, whereas group 2 was not prescribed with the apparatus. RESULTS: The effect of using the Walkbot mechanotherapeutic complex on functional motor outcomes in patients with infantile cerebral palsy was evaluated. Better dynamics of the level of motor skills development on the GMFM-66 scale was noted in group 1 (by 6.8% in group 1 and 4.1% in group 2; p=0.006). The Hauser index (p=0.05) indicated an improvement in locomotor function, which increased the level of independence in everyday life according to the FIM scale (p=0.044), compared to the data of children in the control group. Attaining the effect depends on the number of procedures and total number of rehabilitation courses. CONCLUSION: Children with cerebral palsy who received the Walkbot therapy have better motor outcomes, primarily relating to locomotor function.