Robotic Exoskeleton Gait Training in Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy

The training protocol will consist of 24-treatment sessions that will be performed 3 times-a-week for an 8-week period. All therapeutic exercises will be performed under the direction of a licensed physical therapist. Any sessions missed will be added on to the 8-week period. Each intervention session will be completed in a 60-minute sessions with rests as needed. The key components of the therapy will include: 1) optimally challenging activities of variable intensity that emphasize motor planning and problem solving that requires altering the leg kinematics to meet the environmental and task constraints, 2) task specific overground movements that promote building a repertoire of mobility strategies that can be utilized in the community, and 3) motor tasks requiring active control that increase participant therapeutic engagement. An overhead body weight support system or a gait-belt may be used for some individuals during the robotic exoskeleton gait training blocks.

The training protocol will consist of 24-treatment sessions that will be performed 3 times-a-week for an 8-week period. All therapeutic exercises will be performed under the direction of a licensed pediatric physical therapist. Any sessions missed will be added on to the 8-week period. Each intervention session will consist of over-ground gait activities that will be completed in a 60 minute session with rests as needed. The key ingredients of the therapy will include: 1) activities of adequate intensity that promote gait adaptation and gait speed sustainment, 2) exploratory activities that enhance the somatosensory experience through rich/novel movement, and 3) optimally challenging activities that emphasize planning and problem solving that requires altering the leg kinematics to meet the environmental and task constraints. An overhead body weight support system or a gait-belt may be used for some individuals during the gait training blocks