COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF INNOVATIVE SELF-BALANCING RECIPROCAL HIP–KNEE–ANKLE GAIT ASSISTED ROBOTIC ON FUNCTIONAL AMBULATION AND JOINT KINEMATICS IN A COMPLETE SPINAL INJURY: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

While “passive” hip–knee–ankle–foot orthoses (HKAFOs) have been developed to enhance walking mobility for individuals with complete spinal cord injury, self-balancing robotic assisted hip–knee–ankle–foot orthoses (SRA-HKAFOs) have not been compared. The aim of this study was to compare therapeutic differences in kinematics and temporal–spatial parameters between “powered” HKAFOs and SRA-HKAFOs in individuals with complete spinal cord injury under both slow and fast walking conditions. A patient with a complete T11 spinal cord injury underwent the “powered” HKAFOs and SRA-HKAFOs under slow and fast walking conditions. Outcome measures included the functional ambulation category (FAC), perceived rate of exertion, walking speed, and hip and knee joint kinematics during a 10[Formula: see text]m walking test (10[Formula: see text]MWT). SRA-HKAFOs showed substantial improvements compared to “powered” HKAFOs in the FAC (from level 0 to 3), perceived rate of exertion, walking speed, and hip and knee joint kinematics during the 10[Formula: see text]MWT. The SRA-HKAFO system may provide promising clinical evidence as an alternative, powerful robotic gait-assisted vehicle to maximize independence in ambulation by enhancing hip and knee joint kinematics. The temporal–spatial gait parameters in patients with complete spinal cord injury were also improved.