The Potential of Robotic-Assisted Gait Training in a Rehabilitation Setting

Robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) devices, such as the Lokomat®, are commonly used to support gait rehabilitation by enabling repetitive, task-specific walking movements. The functional proprioceptive stimulation (FPS) device Vibramoov® represents a novel technology designed to stimulate proprioceptors at the muscle-tendon junction through targeted vibratory stimuli, thereby activating sensorimotor centers in the brain and potentially facilitating movement execution.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate whether Lokomat® training combined with Vibramoov® leads to greater improvements in qualitative and quantitative gait parameters in stroke patients compared with Lokomat® training alone. The study will be conducted at the Gröbming Rehabilitation Center and will include patients undergoing a four-week neurological inpatient rehabilitation program. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group (Lokomat® + Vibramoov®) or a control group (Lokomat® only), with 20 patients per group.

Primary outcomes include the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Additional assessments include functional scores, patient-reported outcome measures, and blood biomarkers. Statistical analyses will be performed depending on data distribution. A follow-up assessment evaluating EQ-5D and PHQ-4 will be conducted six months after completion of the rehabilitation program.