A Wearable Isokinetic Training Robot for Enhanced Bedside Knee Rehabilitation

Abstract

Knee pain is prevalent in over 20% of the population, limiting the mobility of those affected. In turn, isokinetic dynamometers and robots have been used to facilitate rehabilitation for those still capable of ambulation. However, there are at most only a few wearable robots capable of delivering isokinetic training for bedridden patients. Here, we developed a wearable robot that provides bedside isokinetic training by utilizing a variable stiffness actuator and dynamic energy regeneration. The efficacy of this device was validated in a study involving six subjects with debilitating knee injuries. During two courses of rehabilitation over a total of three weeks, the average peak torque, average torque, and average work produced by their affected knees increased significantly by 81.0%, 101.4%, and 117.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the device's energy regeneration features were found capable of extending its operating time to 198 days under normal usage, representing a 57.8% increase over the same device without regeneration. These results suggest potential methodologies for delivering isokinetic joint rehabilitation to bedridden patients in areas with limited infrastructure.