OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether applying an assistance force to the pelvis and legs during treadmill training can improve walking function in children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: Twenty-three children with cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to the robotic or treadmill only group. For participants who were assigned to the robotic group, a controlled force was applied to the pelvis and legs during treadmill walking. For participants who were assigned to the treadmill only group, manual assistance was provided as needed. Each participant trained 3 times/wk for 6 wks. Outcome measures included walking speed, 6-min walking distance, and clinical assessment of motor function, which were evaluated before, after training, and 8 wks after the end of training, and were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Significant increases in walking speed and 6-min walking distance were observed after robotic training (p = 0.03), but no significant change was observed after treadmill training only. A greater increase in 6-min walking distance was observed after robotic training than that after treadmill only training (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Applying a controlled force to the pelvis and legs, for facilitating weight-shift and leg swing, respectively, during treadmill training may improve walking speed and endurance in children with cerebral palsy.

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