Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41299685›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2025

Effects of unilateral lower limb exoskeleton robot on gait improvement and brain function in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized clinical trial.

Manxia Li, Shenghan Zhang, Juan Wei, Zhenyu Liu, Zekun Tian, Chao Long, Yan Jiang, Chengbiao Ding, Yi Liu, Xiaojun Feng

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Manxia LiAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Shenghan ZhangAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Juan WeiAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Zhenyu LiuAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Zekun TianAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Chao LongAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Yan JiangDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Chengbiao DingDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Yi LiuDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230601, Anhui Province, China.
Xiaojun FengAnhui Medical University, Hefei City, 230032, Anhui Province, China. fengxiaojun@ahmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Anhui Province Postdoctoral Research Funding Project 2024C873Anhui provincial quality project of college 2022jyxm738ncubation Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China 2023GMFY04Project of Anhui Institute of Translational Medicine 2022zhyx-C75the university natural key project from Anhui Provincial Department of Education 2023AH053157
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to observe the efficacy of unilateral lower limb exoskeleton robot training and its effect on neuroplasticity in hemiplegic patients with stroke by comparing it with conventional treatment.

methodsTwenty-four patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to either the robot group (RG) or the control group (CG). The CG was treated with conventional rehabilitation, and the RG was treated with unilateral lower limb exoskeleton robot-assisted walking training based on conventional rehabilitation. The study’s primary outcome measures included gait analysis and plantar pressure testing before and after treatment. Secondary outcome measures included changes in lower limb Fugl-Meyer (FMA), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). In addition, we used functional near - infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure neural activity before and after the intervention.

resultsThe robot group had significantly greater improvements in walking speed and stride length compared to the control group. The robot group showed greater improvements in FMA scores and reductions in TUG duration compared to the control group. Changes in plantar pressure and oxyhemoglobin (HbO) concentrations were observed only in the robot group.

conclusionBoth conventional rehabilitation therapy and robot-assisted gait training improve walking function in patients with chronic stroke, but robot-assisted intervention shows more favorable outcomes.

Indexed as

BrainExoskeleton DeviceGaitLower ExtremityRoboticsStrokeStroke RehabilitationAgedChronic DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredTreatment OutcomeBrain activationGait analysisHemiparesisOxyhemoglobinPlantar pressureStroke

Identifiers

PMID41299685
PMCPMC12752059

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.