Problem Statement
NormaGait acts as a way to address slowed gait progression in survivors in the chronic stage that achieves accelerated full gait recovery.
Background
Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease. The reason behind a lack of sufficient blood flow to the brain identifies what type of stroke an individual is experiencing. An ischemic stroke occurs by thrombus and a hemorrhagic stroke develops from a ruptured blood vessel. The site of the blood clot or rupture has an affect on the symptoms the individual experiences following the accident. Individuals with balance, coordination, or movement impairments experience a stroke in their cerebellum. Survivors can gain these functions back because of neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt in response to a specific event or injury. Neuroplasticity allows the brain to rebuild motor pathways that are responsible for certain bodily functions. Studies have shown that certain therapies stimulate neuroplasticity. The body responds very efficiently after the stroke.
One of the largest goals in stroke rehabilitation is regaining full gait function. Current rehabilitation devices are intended for the first 6 months post stroke, but do not go beyond. This disconnect leads to a plateau in progress where survivors have not gained back gait function comparable to that of their pre stroke gait function. This device will address stroke survivors in the chronic phase to prevent this plateau.
To address the restoration of gait function in stroke survivors in the chronic phase, the device will use normative gait parameters during active gait rehabilitation. To achieve this goal, the device will control angular velocity during gait, allow normative knee joint angles for the four phases of walking gait, provide resistance during active flexion and assistance during active extension, and accommodate the middle 90% of adults 60 years old and up. As a result of these parameters, the device will limit joint velocities and ranges of motion to provide normative gait parameters, apply resistance for musculoskeletal work, and assist the target population of 60 years old and up during the more challenging phases of gait.