Pediatric Rehab Research Group

Background information:

Feasibility of gait restoration using the robotic driven gait orthosis Lokomat has been investigated in the rehabilitation of children with central gait impairments. However, evidence as well as the optimal training setup as frequency, duration, velocity and dose dependency needs further research. There is a lack of knowledge regarding indications, age, severity and possible combinations with other therapy options like medication, orthopaedic surgery or augmented feedback/ virtual reality training systems. Research questions are so numerous that they should be addressed by a multi-centre approach, which also would allow comparing different therapeutical settings.

Goal

• installation and maintenance of a clear, structured, global and safe online database
• collection and storage of anonymous patient- and training data of multiple centres that can be statistically analysed
• consolidated findings about treatment outcome, optimal indications and therapeutical application of robotic assisted gait training

Project onset and end

From: January 2009
Until: open

Project members

• Tabea Schuler
• Andreas Meyer-Heim

Specific ongoing subprojects

• Evaluation of clinical outcome parameters after orthopaedic surgeries
• Evaluation of clinical outcome parameters after selective dorsal rhizotomy

Sponsor

• University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
• Vontobelstiftung Zurich, Switzerland
• Anna Mueller Grocholski Stiftung, Switzerland