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Walk Assist Device to Improve Community Ambulation

Development of Walk Assist Device to Improve Community Ambulation

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03222505
Enrollment
12
Registered
2017-07-19
Start date
2010-01-31
Completion date
2018-05-31
Last updated
2019-08-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Stroke

Keywords

Stroke, Gait Stride Management Assist, Stroke, post 1 year or longer

Brief summary

The goal of this research study was to examine the immediate effects of a prototype wearable robotic stride management assist device (SMA) designed by Honda R&D® on clinical walking performance, walking energetics, gait kinematics and corticospinal excitability in individuals with stroke.

Detailed description

The goal of this research study was to examine the immediate effectiveness of a prototype wearable robotic stride management assist device (SMA) designed by Honda R&D on clinical walking performance, walking energetics, gait kinematics and corticospinal excitability in individuals with stroke. The SMA assists walking by providing a flexion and extension torque assist at the hip joint. The subjects in this study are asked to perform two sets of experiments: one set with the device on and one set with the device turned off. The order in which the subjects performed these sets of experiments is selected randomly. Each set of experiments includes over-ground walking speed and endurance tests, a graded treadmill test with metabolic measures, motion capture and force treadmill analysis, and measures of corticospinal drive using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The primary outcome to be measured is change in self-selected walking speed with the device on, the secondary outcome measures include metabolic, corticospinal and biomechanical analysis.

Interventions

DEVICEHonda Stride Assist Device ON

Subjects performed assessments of walking and motor performance while wearing the Honda Stride Assist Device.

OTHERNo Device Worn

Subjects performed assessments of walking and motor performance without wearing the Honda Assist Device.

Sponsors

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Stroke subjects with a history of unilateral, supratentorial, ischemic or hemorrhage stroke will be recruited, with lesion location confirmed by radiographic findings. 2. All subjects who score \> 10 on the Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS) developed previously to measure strength in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). For the LEMS criteria, preliminary data indicate that subjects with LEMS \< 10 in the chronic stages do not recover walking. 3. All subjects will be required to walk \> 10 m over ground without physical assistance at self-selected walking speeds ≤ 0.8 m/s using assistive devices and bracing below the knee as needed. A criterion of 0.8 m/s is utilized to target participants with limited or minimal ambulation in the community. Subjects will be further stratified into those who walk \< 0.4 m/s and \> 0.4 m/s, identified as household vs. limited community ambulators, respectively. 4. Range of motion (ankle: -10 to 30 deg, knee: 0 to 90 deg, hip: -10 to 40 deg) consistent with gait; 5. Medically stable with medical clearance to participate (absence of concurrent illness, including unhealed decubiti, infection, cardiopulmonary disease, osteoporosis, active heterotrophic ossification or peripheral nerve damage in the lower limbs, history of traumatic head injury); 6. Able to tolerate 30 minutes of upright (standing) position without orthostasis (decrease in blood pressure by 20 mmHg systolic and 10 mmHg diastolic; minimized with ambulatory population); 7. Must not be undergoing concurrent physical therapy to eliminate effects of additional interventions; 8. Patients prescribed medications for spasticity will not be excluded from participation but will be asked to maintain current levels of medication or inform the researcher if changes are necessary. \-

Exclusion criteria

1. Women of childbearing potential will not be excluded, although women who are pregnant will be excluded due to potential forces at trunk from body weight support or pelvic assistance; 2. Significant cardiorespiratory or metabolic disease that may limit exercise participation. 3. Weights limit \> 250 lbs (limit of most counter-weight safety systems). 4. History of previous orthopedic or neurological conditions which may impair walking. 5. Exclusion for TMS: pacemaker, metal implants in the head region, history of epilepsy or seizures, skull fractures or skull deficits, concussion within the last 6 months, unexplained recurring headaches, medications that lower seizure threshold, and pregnancy. 6. Subjects with scores \< 23 on the Mini Mental Status Exam will be excluded.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Six Minute Walk Test Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Distance TraveledDay 1The 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a test of endurance, by measuring the distance a subject can walk indoors on a flat, hard surface in a period of 6 minutes, using assistive devices, as necessary.The distance is measured with a measuring wheel. The instructions are Walk covering as much ground as you can in 6 min. You can stop to sit or stand if needed.
Change in Peak Treadmill (TM) Velocity Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Self Selected Walking SpeedDay 1Peak treadmill (TM) velocity: subjects walked on motorized treadmill with harness but no Body Weight Support (BWS). Testing started at 0.5 km/h and was increased in 0.5 km/h increments every 3 minutes until peak TM speed was achieved (identified as ability to sustain speed for ≥1min without stopping the treadmill).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent Change in Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Rectus Femoris (RF) Between Device ON and Device OFFDay 1TMS measurements will involve generating motor evoked potentials (MEP) for each muscle from two different coil positions - 2cm on either side of the vertex. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) at intensities ranging from 70 - 140% active threshold will be generated for each muscle from each coil position. TMS is a safe, non-invasive, painless method of brain stimulation that has been widely used to study the physiology of the representations of muscles in the motor cortex in healthy and neurologically disordered individuals. A positive percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-on condition. A negative percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-off condition.
Change in Percent Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Dorsiflexor Tibialis Anterior (TA) Between Device ON and Device OFFDay 1TMS measurements will involve generating motor evoked potentials (MEP) for each muscle from two different coil positions - 2cm on either side of the vertex. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) at intensities ranging from 70 - 140% active threshold will be generated for each muscle from each coil position. TMS is a safe, non-invasive, painless method of brain stimulation that has been widely used to study the physiology of the representations of muscles in the motor cortex in healthy and neurologically disordered individuals. A positive percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-on condition. A negative percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-off condition.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Start With Device ON
Participants in this arm first completed testing with the device on, then repeated the testing a week later with the device turned off.
5
Start With Device OFF
Participants in this arm first completed testing with the device off, then repeated the testing a week later with the device turned on.
7
Total12

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicStart With Device ONStart With Device OFFTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants2 Participants2 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
5 Participants5 Participants10 Participants
Age, Continuous55.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.2
59.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.3
57.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.2
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
5 participants7 participants12 participants
Self-Selected Walking Speed less than 0.8 m/s0.57 meters per second
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.21
0.62 meters per second
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.17
0.60 meters per second
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.18
Sex: Female, Male
Female
1 Participants3 Participants4 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
4 Participants4 Participants8 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 120 / 12
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 120 / 12
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 120 / 12

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Peak Treadmill (TM) Velocity Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Self Selected Walking Speed

Peak treadmill (TM) velocity: subjects walked on motorized treadmill with harness but no Body Weight Support (BWS). Testing started at 0.5 km/h and was increased in 0.5 km/h increments every 3 minutes until peak TM speed was achieved (identified as ability to sustain speed for ≥1min without stopping the treadmill).

Time frame: Day 1

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Device ONChange in Peak Treadmill (TM) Velocity Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Self Selected Walking Speed0.95 meters per secondStandard Deviation 0.28
Device OFFChange in Peak Treadmill (TM) Velocity Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Self Selected Walking Speed0.84 meters per secondStandard Deviation 0.3
Primary

Change in Six Minute Walk Test Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Distance Traveled

The 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a test of endurance, by measuring the distance a subject can walk indoors on a flat, hard surface in a period of 6 minutes, using assistive devices, as necessary.The distance is measured with a measuring wheel. The instructions are Walk covering as much ground as you can in 6 min. You can stop to sit or stand if needed.

Time frame: Day 1

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Device ONChange in Six Minute Walk Test Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Distance Traveled837.1 feetStandard Deviation 342.2
Device OFFChange in Six Minute Walk Test Between Device Turned ON and OFF - Distance Traveled804.8 feetStandard Deviation 358.5
Secondary

Change in Percent Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Dorsiflexor Tibialis Anterior (TA) Between Device ON and Device OFF

TMS measurements will involve generating motor evoked potentials (MEP) for each muscle from two different coil positions - 2cm on either side of the vertex. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) at intensities ranging from 70 - 140% active threshold will be generated for each muscle from each coil position. TMS is a safe, non-invasive, painless method of brain stimulation that has been widely used to study the physiology of the representations of muscles in the motor cortex in healthy and neurologically disordered individuals. A positive percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-on condition. A negative percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-off condition.

Time frame: Day 1

Population: Device ON and Device OFF arms were combined as the interest of this metric was the change in excitability between device on and device off conditions within a participant.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Device ONChange in Percent Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Dorsiflexor Tibialis Anterior (TA) Between Device ON and Device OFF-13.53 percent changeStandard Deviation 31.6
Secondary

Percent Change in Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Rectus Femoris (RF) Between Device ON and Device OFF

TMS measurements will involve generating motor evoked potentials (MEP) for each muscle from two different coil positions - 2cm on either side of the vertex. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) at intensities ranging from 70 - 140% active threshold will be generated for each muscle from each coil position. TMS is a safe, non-invasive, painless method of brain stimulation that has been widely used to study the physiology of the representations of muscles in the motor cortex in healthy and neurologically disordered individuals. A positive percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-on condition. A negative percent change in excitability indicates higher excitability in the device-off condition.

Time frame: Day 1

Population: Device ON and Device OFF arms were combined as the interest of this metric was the change in excitability between device on and device off conditions within a participant.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Device ONPercent Change in Excitability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Rectus Femoris (RF) Between Device ON and Device OFF19.02 percent changeStandard Deviation 34.5

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026