| Objective: To investigate the effect of robotic-aid intelligent stretching on ankle spasticity and walking function in stroke patients with hemiplegia. Methods: A total of 40 stroke patients with ankle spasticity who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into intelligent stretching group and control group (20 cases in each group). Both groups received routine neurological treatment and rehabilitation training. The patients in the intelligent stretch ing group received robotic-aid intelligent passive stretching and active training, and the control group received manual static passive stretching and resistance training by physical therapists. Each stretch training lasted 30 min, 5 times a week, for a total of 6 weeks. The following evaluations were performed before and after treatment: ankle active dorsoflexion angle, active plantar flexion angle, passive dorsoflexion angle and passive plantar flexion angle, modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), timed up & go test (TUGT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results: After 6 weeks, the active and passive plantar flexion angle, passive dorsiflexion angle and 6MWT increased in both groups (P<0.05). The changes of active dorsoflexion angle, plantar flexion angle, MAS, TUGT and 6MWT in intelligent stretching group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Robotic-aid intelligent stretching, a new method of stretching, can improve the ankle spasticity and walking function. It has significant advantages over the traditional method of rehabilitation stretching. |
