Electronic Platform for Ladder-Climbing Exercise for Stroke Rehabilitation

Abstract

Stroke leads to physical and mental disability and severely reduces patient quality of life. Currently, physical exercise is considered a feasible approach to rehabilitation. However, basic clinical trials have yet to demonstrate an optimal method for rehabilitation training. The current study designed an electronic platform for ladder-climbing exercise for stroke rehabilitation. Rats after stroke can be subjected to rehabilitation training through the motor-driven ladder. The platform also involves position detection and speed control mechanisms, thus providing rehabilitation patterns that are different from the conventional rehabilitation programs. The designed platform will be expected to provide effective rehabilitation processes. Moreover, the operating mechanism of the designed platform is different from that of existing platforms. The approach of using automatic ladder-climbing exercise for stroke rehabilitation is unprecedented; in addition, the exercise intensity of the proposed platform can be adjusted according to the fitness of each rat. Therefore, this platform can be adopted for experiments in exercise physiology, and the study results can serve as a reference for future studies designing training programs for human stroke rehabilitation.