Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41706608›Full record

SynthesisClinical rehabilitation2026

The effect of robot-assisted gait training on physical activity outcomes in people with spinal cord injury: A systematic review.

James Belsey, Andrew Reid, Scott Hannah, Louise Johnson, James Faulkner

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

5 authors.

James BelseyDepartment for Allied Health Professions, Social Work and Sport, University of Winchester, Winchester, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7405-9281
Andrew ReidDepartment for Allied Health Professions, Social Work and Sport, University of Winchester, Winchester, UK.ORCID 0009-0006-6843-4659
Scott HannahDepartment for Allied Health Professions, Social Work and Sport, University of Winchester, Winchester, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2761-2798
Louise JohnsonStroke Services, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Bournemouth, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9445-0069
James FaulknerPrimary Care Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3704-6737

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

ObjectiveTo summarise the evidence for changes in physical activity outcomes during robot-assisted gait training in patients with spinal cord injury.Data sourcesThe Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Central, Medline, Scopus and SportDiscus databases were searched in August 2025 for studies that recorded ≥1 physical activity outcome during robot-assisted gait training.Review methodsData were synthesised according to the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale or the Revised Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-Randomised Studies. Certainty of evidence was established following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework. The report followed the Preferring Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.ResultsThirty studies (638 participants) were eligible for inclusion. Quality of the randomised studies ranged from 'Fair' to 'Good', while there was high risk of bias for all non-randomised studies in ≥1 domain. Robot-assisted gait training significantly improved physical activity outcomes (up time, walk time, walk distance, walk speed and number of steps) over time, though these findings were constrained by very low certainty of evidence.ConclusionUp time, walk time, walk distance, walk speed, and number of steps were significantly improved across the robot-assisted gait training period for patients with spinal cord injury. Robot-assisted gait training during rehabilitation for people following spinal cord injury is a useful adjunct to support independence and improved walking ability.

Indexed as

ExerciseExercise TherapyGaitRoboticsSpinal Cord InjuriesHumansTreatment Outcomeexercise trainingexertionexoskeletonfunctional outcomegaitrobot-assisted gait trainingSpinal cord injurywalk test

Identifiers

PMID41706608
PMCPMC13191083

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.