Robot-assisted Training After Acquired Brain Injury and Disorders of Consciousness

Summary

The goal of this randomised cross-over feasibility trial is to investigate two intensive robot-assisted training therapies in the early rehabilitation phase after acquired brain injury and disorders of consciousness. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is the protocol feasible concerning inclusion in the study?
* Is the protocol feasible concerning protocol completion? Participants will randomly be assigned to either five days of robot-assisted gait training (GAIT), two days of pause, then five days of robot-assisted step training (STEP) or vice versa.

The investigators will explore and compare safety events, physiological measures and physical activity levels, behavioural measures, and functional disability outcomes. Further, the investigators report intervention and technical parameters in detail.

Conditions

• Acquired Brain Injury
• Disorders of Consciousness

Interventions

OTHER

GAIT-assisted training

GAIT duration starts when walking is started. The participant will walk as intensively as possible within prespecified safety limits. Intensity is considered the most important factor for the feasibility outcome of the completion ratio and for the safety outcomes. Intensity encompasses duration and repetitions. Duration: 10 minutes is considered the minimum acceptable duration for a session to be deemed complete and 30 minutes as the maximum duration for a training session. Repetitions: A step intensity of approximately 1000 steps per session is considered as high intensity and training aims to reach this amount. This is based on neuroplasticity theories. Speed starts at 1 km/h and is adjusted accordingly. The body weight support (BWS) is kept between 60-100% of total body weight. The BWS is adjusted so the knee flexion in the stance phase does not exceed 10 degrees. The guidance force is kept at 100% and symmetric in all sessions.

OTHER

STEP-assisted training

STEP duration starts when stepping and elevation are started. The participant will step as intensively as possible within prespecified safety limits. Intensity is considered the most important factor for the feasibility outcome of the completion ratio and for the safety outcomes. Intensity encompasses duration and repetitions. Duration: 10 minutes is considered the minimum acceptable duration for a session to be deemed complete and 30 minutes as the maximum duration for a training session. Repetitions: A step intensity of approximately 1000 steps per session is considered as high intensity and training aims to reach this amount. This is based on neuroplasticity theories. Step cadence starts at 40 steps/minute and cadence is adjusted accordingly. The leg loading starts a 5 kg and is, if possible, increased to a maximum of 40% of total body weight while adjusting knee extension to ≤10 degrees flexion in stance. The guidance force is kept at 100% and symmetric in all sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Christina Kruuse

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Christina Kruuse, Professor · Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-08-12

Primary Completion

2025-04-01

Completion

2025-04-01

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations