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The Effect of Saddle-Assistive Device on Improving the Gait Parameters of Patients with the Lower Limbs Weakness: A Pilot Study

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Abstract

To help walking, using assistive devices can be considered to reduce the loads caused by weight and to effectively decrease the propulsive forces. In this study, a mobility Saddle-Assistive Device (S-AD) supporting body weight while walking was evaluated on two healthy volunteers. This device is based on the support of body weight against gravity with the help of a saddle, which is not used in other passive mobility assistive devices. To prove the efficiency of this device, the experimental results obtained while walking with this device were compared with those related to walking without the assistive device. The results showed that this device could significantly reduce the forces and torque of the lower and upper limbs when walking. By distributing the load on the saddle, the vertical force and the propulsive force in the best conditions were decreased to 46.7% and were increased to 13.7% in body weight, respectively. Using a S-AD can help patients with lower limbs weakness and elderly people to walk.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Djavad Mowafaghian Research Centre of Intelligent Neuro-Rehabilitation Technologies for the use of their laboratory space for conducting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Islamic Azad University Majlesi branch, Majlesi, 8631656451, Iran

    Akbar Hojjati Najafabadi

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Kashan, Kashan, 8731753153, Iran

    Saeid Amini

  3. Mechanical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Teheran, 1458889694, Iran

    Farzam Farahmand

Authors
  1. Akbar Hojjati Najafabadi
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  2. Saeid Amini
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  3. Farzam Farahmand
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Correspondence to Akbar Hojjati Najafabadi.

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Hojjati Najafabadi, A., Amini, S. & Farahmand, F. The Effect of Saddle-Assistive Device on Improving the Gait Parameters of Patients with the Lower Limbs Weakness: A Pilot Study. J Bionic Eng 17, 1175–1185 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-020-0088-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-020-0088-2

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