Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) ›› 2022, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (3): 337-343.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2022.03.011

• Clinical research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of lower limb exoskeleton robot on recovery of function in patients after arthroscopic meniscus repair

WANG Yanhong(), HAN Jiyu(), WAN Daqian()   

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Joint, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
  • Received:2021-09-03 Online:2022-03-28 Published:2022-05-09
  • Contact: WAN Daqian E-mail:wyh85892892@qq.com;hanjiyudoctor@163.com;wdqwdq1986@126.com
  • Supported by:
    Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(22120210569);Fostering Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China in Shanghai Tongji Hospital(TJ2025)

Abstract: Objective

·To investigate the effect of lower limb exoskeleton robot on function recovery of lower limbs in the patients during the rehabilitation period after arthroscopic meniscus repair, and compare its effect with the effect of continuous passive motion (CPM) training.

Methods

·Ninety patients undergoing meniscus repair under arthroscopy after injury in the Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, from June 2020 to June 2021 were selected as the objects. The trial did not carry out double-blind grouping and allocation concealment. The patients were randomly divided into conventional rehabilitation therapy combined with CPM training group (conventional group, 45 cases) and conventional rehabilitation therapy combined with lower limb exoskeleton robot training group (exoskeleton group, 45 cases). The baseline data of the patients were collected before the rehabilitation training. The knee Lysholm score, the knee subjective function score of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score and the range of motion of knee joint were compared and analyzed between the two groups before (4 d after surgery) and after (after 2 months of rehabilitation training) the rehabilitation training. Adverse events during the test were recorded.

Results

·There was no significant difference in gender, age, course of disease, location and classification of knee injury between the conventional group and the exoskeleton group (P>0.05). All the patients completed 2 months of rehabilitation training. After the meniscus repair, there was no significant difference in the excellent and good rates of Lysholm score and IKDC score, HSS score and knee range of motion between the conventional group and the exoskeleton group before rehabilitation (P>0.05). After 2 months of rehabilitation training, the excellent and good rates of Lysholm score and IKDC score, and HSS score in the two groups were significantly higher than those before rehabilitation (P<0.05), and the excellent and good rates of Lysholm score and IKDC score, and HSS score in the conventional group were significantly lower than those in the exoskeleton group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the improvement of knee range of motion before and after rehabilitation in the conventional group (P>0.05), while there was significant difference in the exoskeleton group (P=0.000), and the knee range of motion in the exoskeleton group after rehabilitation was significantly wider than that in the conventional group (P=0.001). During the rehabilitation training, no significant adverse effects were reported in both groups.

Conclusion

·For the patients in the rehabilitation period after meniscus repair under arthroscopy, combined with the conventional rehabilitation therapy, lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot is more effective than CPM in promoting the recovery of knee function and improving the range of motion of knee joint.

Key words: exoskeleton robot, meniscus repair, knee joint, rehabilitation therapy

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