Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41281551›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neurology2025

Effect of a soft wearable robot suit with hip extensor assistance on gait in patients with Parkinson's disease: a study protocol.

Hyun Iee Shin, Ho Seok Lee, Na Young Yun, Haerin Choi, Kyeongmin Lim, Byung Chan Lee, Se Jun Park, Ki Ho Lee, Byeong Jun Cho, Giuk Lee and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

11 authors.

Hyun Iee Shin *Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ho Seok Lee *Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Na Young YunDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Haerin ChoiDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyeongmin LimSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Byung Chan LeeDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Se Jun ParkSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ki Ho LeeSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Byeong Jun ChoSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Giuk LeeSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Don-Kyu KimDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor deficits and gait disturbances. While medication offers symptomatic relief, long-term complications and gradual functional decline remain significant challenges. Robot-assisted training provides intensive, task-specific motor rehabilitation and has shown promise in improving gait for PD patients. Soft wearable robot suits, designed with lightweight, flexible materials, offer enhanced comfort, adaptability, and biomechanical support compared to traditional robots. However, there is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of hip extensor assistance with soft wearable robots for gait improvement in PD. Methods: This is a prospective, single-center, single-blind, parallel-group study, and will recruit 34 PD patients. The participants will be assigned to either a robot or control group. Both groups will receive identical rehabilitation interventions, each session comprising 20-min of strength training, 5-min rest, and 20-min of treadmill walking. The rehabilitation program will be applied identically to all participants. The key difference between the groups will be whether participants wear the soft wearable robot suit during treadmill walking session. The intervention will be conducted 2 times per week, a total of 12 sessions for 6 weeks. The H-Medi (HUROTICS, Inc.), a cable-driven soft wearable robot suit will be utilized for the intervention and hip extensor assistance will be applied. For outcome measures, the following assessments will be performed at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1): Gait speed, Timed-Up and Go test, Short Physical Performance Battery, Berg Balance Scale, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, gait parameters, muscle strength and endurance, quadriceps muscle thickness, body composition, cognition, and depression. The primary outcome will be the difference of gait speed from T0 to T1. The secondary outcomes will be the differences of other measures. Discussion: This study will be the first to assess hip extensor assistance provided by a soft wearable robot suit as a targeted therapy for gait impairment in PD. Results are expected to clarify device usability, safety, and impact on gait. By focusing on hip extension, the findings may help advance personalized gait rehabilitation and inform the design and clinical adoption of future wearable robotic devices for PD. Clinical trial registration: KCT0010793.

Indexed as

gaithip extensor assistanceParkinson’s diseaserehabilitationrobot assisted gait trainingsoft wearable robotic suit

Identifiers

PMID41281551
PMCPMC12631298

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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 OpenQuestion graph.