Recruitment consecutively took place in the tetraparesis department of the KMT as a sample of convenience. Due to the availability of the HAL the recruitment was performed from May 2021 to December 2021. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on existing literature and the mechanical properties of the HAL. Table 1 gives an overview of the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. All participants were recruited from the patient population from the clinic. Blinding of the therapist or participants due to the kind of intervention was not possible. The data were analysed anonymously.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
| Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
|---|---|
| • Spastic Cerebral Palsy | • Lower limb surgery in the past 6 months |
| • Age over 18 years | • Botulinum toxin therapy in the past 3 months |
| • GMFCS III + II | • Use of alternative RAGT in the past 6 months |
| • 14 m walking ability | • Current fractures or skin lesions |
| • Adequate pain reporting (CFCS level I – III) | • Impaired peripheral blood supply |
| • Ability to follow instructions (CFCS level I – III) | • Inability to follow instructions |
| • Written informed consent | • Height under 150 cm and over 170 cm |
GMFCS: Gross Motor Functions Classification System; RAGT: Robot−assisted gait training; CFCS: Communication Function Classification System
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