Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41937149›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2026

The impact of robot-assisted training on gait, balance, and endurance in patients with partial spinal cord injuries: insights from rehabilitation.

Magdalena Prończuk, Dariusz Skalski, Kinga Łosinska, Jarosław Markowski, Jan Pilch, Michał Toborek, Adam Maszczyk

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2026. 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. Review
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

7 authors.

Magdalena PrończukFaculty of Physical Culture, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, Poland.
Dariusz SkalskiFaculty of Physical Culture, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, Poland.
Kinga ŁosinskaFaculty of Physical Culture, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, Poland.
Jarosław MarkowskiDepartment of Laryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Jan PilchDepartment of Physiological and Medical Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Educa-tion, Katowice, Poland.
Michał ToborekUniversity of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA.
Adam MaszczykFaculty of Physical Culture, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, Poland. a.maszczyk@awf.katowice.pl.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study evaluated the effectiveness of robotic-assisted gait training in improving gait function, balance, and endurance in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). It compared robotic-assisted therapy with conventional rehabilitation and examined the impact of training frequency.

methodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted at specialized SCI rehabilitation centers. Seventy-five participants aged 19–40 with chronic partial SCI American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grades B, C, or D were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. A pre-registered athletic subgroup consisting of 45 individuals with intensive competitive sports backgrounds (≥ 4 sessions/week pre-injury) was designated for subgroup analysis. The remaining 30 participants were physically active non-athletes (2–3 sessions/week pre-injury). Participants were divided into three groups: L1 (robotic-assisted gait training once weekly), L2 (robotic-assisted gait training twice weekly), and C (conventional rehabilitation). Functional outcomes were assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI II), Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and stabilometry before and after the intervention.

resultsThe L2 group demonstrated the greatest improvements: TUG time decreased by 7.7 ± 3.0 s (17.2 ± 2.5 s PRE vs. 9.5 ± 1.8 s POST; −44.8%, η² = 0.18), and 6MWT distance increased by 43.5 ± 16.2 m (35.5 ± 4.8 m PRE vs. 79 ± 14 m POST; +122.5%, η² = 0.25). These absolute improvements substantially exceed established MCID thresholds and were accompanied by clinically meaningful gains in quality of life. Robotic-assisted therapy, particularly at higher training frequencies, significantly outperformed conventional rehabilitation, especially in AIS D patients.

conclusionsRobotic-assisted gait training effectively improves gait function, endurance, and balance, with enhanced benefits observed at higher training frequencies. Higher training frequency demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements across all participants. While improvements were observed across the cohort, future adequately powered trials are needed to systematically investigate whether athlete-specific training histories influence responsiveness to different Lokomat frequencies.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyGaitPhysical EndurancePostural BalanceRoboticsSpinal Cord InjuriesAdultFemaleHumansMaleTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultBalanceMotor performanceNeuroplasticityRehabilitation technology

Identifiers

PMID41937149
PMCPMC13191866

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.