The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the effects of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) on gait-related function in patients with acute/subacute stroke. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials published between May 2012 and April 2016. This search included 334 articles (Cochrane, 51 articles; Embase, 175 articles; PubMed, 108 articles). Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 7 studies were selected for this review. We performed a quality evaluation using the PEDro scale. In this review, 3 studies used an exoskeletal robot, and 4 studies used an end-effector robot as interventions. As a result, RAGT was found to be effective in improving walking ability in subacute stroke patients. Significant improvements in gait speed, functional ambulatory category, and Rivermead mobility index were found with RAGT compared with conventional physical therapy (p < 0.05). Therefore, aggressive weight support and gait training at an early stage using a robotic device are helpful, and robotic intervention should be applied according to the patient's functional level and onset time of stroke.

Background A dual-probe personal computer-based muscle viewer (DPC-BMW) is advantageous in that it is relatively lightweight and easy to apply. Objective To investigate the reliability and validity of the DPC-BMW in comparison with those of a portable ultrasonography (P-US) device for measuring the pennation angle of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle at rest and during contraction. Methods Twenty-four patients who had a stroke (18 men and 6 women) participated in this study. Using the DPC-BMW and P-US device, the pennation angle of the MG muscle on the affected side was randomly measured. Two examiners randomly obtained the images of all the participants in two separate test sessions, 7 days apart. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), confidence interval, standard error of measurement, Bland-Altman plot, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to estimate their reliability and validity. Results The ICC for the intrarater reliability of the MG muscle pennation angle measured using the DPC-BMW was > 0.916, indicating excellent reliability, and that for the interrater reliability ranged from 0.964 to 0.994. The P-US device also exhibited good reliability. A high correlation was found between the measurements of MG muscle pennation angle obtained using the DPC-BMW and that obtained using the P-US device (p < 0.01). Conclusion The DPC-BMW can provide clear images for accurate measurements, including measurements using dual probes. It has the advantage of rehabilitative US imaging for individuals who have had a stroke. More research studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of the DPC-BMW in rehabilitation.

Objective: This study surveyed the perceptions of physical therapists on muscle re-education through visual feedback obtained from rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI). Design: Survey. Methods: For this study, 500 physical therapists who participated in a refresher training held by the Seoul City Association in March 2015 were selected for a questionnaire-based survey. Subjects were randomly selected targets physiotherapists who participated in a refresher training.The questionnaire had 21 items in total. Questions 1 to 15 could be answered by everyone. However, questions 16 to 21 could be answered only by people who used RUSI. Results: The majority of respondents were aged 20 to 30 years. Respondents in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties accounted for 32.4%, 40.2%, 21.9%, and 5.6%respectively. Therapists with careers spanning one to 5 years accounted for 27.8%, while those with careers spanning 5 to 10 years and 10 to 15 years accounted for 34.6% and 17.0%, respectively. Those with careers over 20 years accounted for 9.2%. The types of work have not been various including work related to the nervous system (49.0%), the musculoskeletal system (41.5%), sports (0.7%), juvenile physical therapy (4.2%), and others (4.6%). Conclusions: In this study, we examined the perceptions of physical therapists on rehabilitation ultrasound imaging used in muscle re-education. We also examined how to use this technique. Many therapists who participated in the refresher training were found to be unaware of RUSI. In the future, further investigations on RUSI for muscle re-education are required through refresher training or training lectures at the national level.

The survival rate from cardiac arrest remains poor despite ongoing efforts to improve the 'chain of survival' over the past 50 years [1-4]. The delivery of high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while ensuring chest compression of adequate rate and depth, and allowing full chest recoil, was found to provide a significant survival benefit in previous studies [5,6]. Although the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines clearly define how to achieve effective CPR in basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) [7-9], maintaining good quality of CC in the field