Article

Many wheelchair users adopt a sedentary lifestyle,
which results in
progressive physical deconditioning with increased risk of musculoskeletal,
cardiovascular and endocrine/metabolic morbidity and mortality. Engaging in a
walking program with an overground robotic exoskeleton may be an effective
strategy for mitigating these potential negative health consequences and
optimizing fitness in this population. However, additional research is warranted
to inform the development of adapted physical activity programs incorporating
this technology. OBJECTIVES: To determine cardiorespiratory demands during
sitting, standing and overground walking with a robotic exoskeleton and to verify
whether such overground walking results in at least moderate-intensity physical
exercise. METHODS: We enrolled 13 long-term wheelchair users with complete motor
spinal cord injury in a walking program with an overground robotic exoskeleton.
Cardiorespiratory measures and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded by
using a portable gas analyzer system during sitting, standing and four 10m
walking tasks with the robotic exoskeleton. Each participant also performed an
arm crank ergometer test to determine maximal cardiorespiratory ability (i.e.,
peak heart rate and O2 uptake [HRpeak, VO2peak]). RESULTS: Cardiorespiratory
measures increased by a range of 9%-35% from sitting to standing and further
increased by 22%-52% from standing to walking with the robotic exoskeleton.
During walking, median oxygen cost (O2Walking), relative HR (%HRpeak), relative
O2 consumption (%VO2peak) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) reached
0.29mL/kg/m, 82.9%, 41.8% and 0.9, respectively, whereas median RPE reached
3.2/10. O2Walking was moderately influenced by total number of sessions and steps
taken with the robotic exoskeleton since the start of the walking program.
CONCLUSION: Overground walking with the robotic exoskeleton over a short distance
allowed wheelchair users to achieve a moderate-intensity level of exercise.
Hence, an overground locomotor training program with a robotic exoskeleton may
have cardiorespiratory health benefits in the population studied.
CI - Copyright (c) 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS