Charlene E. Hafer‐Macko
University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore VA Medical Center
Papers
2
Total Citations
62
H-Index
2
About
Charlene E. Hafer-Macko is a leading researcher in stroke rehabilitation, with a focus on restoring gait function through innovative robotic interventions. Her work centers on the intersection of neurology, biomechanics, and assistive technology, particularly targeting paretic ankle impairments that contribute to post-stroke gait instability and foot drop. In her widely cited 2016 pilot study (59 citations), she addressed a critical question in neurorehabilitation: whether task-specific robotic gait training outperforms joint-specific interventions for improving walking function. This work laid the groundwork for understanding how targeted ankle robotics can enhance locomotor recovery. More recently, she developed a novel kinetic-based metric to quantify human autonomy recovery during robot-assisted training, enabling clinicians to track the gradual reduction in robotic support as patients regain voluntary ankle control. Her contributions are shaping how rehabilitation engineers design adaptive control systems that promote patient-driven recovery. By bridging clinical outcomes with quantitative biomechanical measures, Hafer-Macko’s research is advancing personalized, evidence-based protocols for stroke survivors seeking to regain safe, independent mobility.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2