Stroke Survivors Walk Better With Human Help

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"When learning to walk again, if people can make mistakes and realize their errors and change their behavior based on those errors, they may learn better," Hornby said. "We also think that patients work harder and therefore improve more with therapists because the robotic device moved patients' legs for them throughout the therapy. Therapists only help as needed."

The study appears in the current issue of Stroke.

Hornby and colleagues suggested that robotic-assisted therapy may be best for stroke patients who have no ability to walk on their own, while therapist-assisted training is best for those who can walk independently, even at very slow speeds.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about stroke rehabilitation.