Innovative technology for restoring gait patterns in patients with impaired mobility

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Abstract

Gait impairment is one of the most severe and socially significant consequences of both orthopedic pathology (total knee arthroplasty – TKA) and neurological diseases (acute cerebral circulation disorder – ACCD). Restoring safe and independent locomotion is a central task of medical rehabilitation, determining patients' quality of life and their reintegration into society.

The anti-gravity treadmill (AGT), based on Differential Air Pressure technology, allows for early, dosed, and physiological gait training with precise control of axial load (from 1% to 100% of body weight). The use of AGT contributes to a significant improvement in spatiotemporal gait parameters (speed increases by 25–40%, endurance by 30–45%, step symmetry by 15–25%), reduction of pain syndrome by 35–50% on visual analogue scale, overcoming kinesiophobia, and improvement of quality of life by 20–30% on SF-36 questionnaire in patients after TKA and ACCD. The technology demonstrates high efficiency for other nosology’s: multiple sclerosis (balance improvement by 40%), Parkinson's disease (step length increases by 25%), sports rehabilitation (reduction of recovery time by 30%).

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About the authors

L. A. Marchenkova

National Medical Research Center for Rehabilitation and Balneology, Ministry of Health of Russia

Author for correspondence.
Email: marchenkovala@nmicrk.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1886-124X
SPIN-code: 9619-8004

Associate Professor, MD

Russian Federation, Moscow

D. O. Tulupov

National Medical Research Center for Rehabilitation and Balneology, Ministry of Health of Russia

Email: marchenkovala@nmicrk.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7812-0545
SPIN-code: 9844-7885
Russian Federation, Moscow

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