Ellen Quirbach
Papers
2
Total Citations
423
H-Index
2
About
Ellen Quirbach is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation, with a primary focus on gait recovery after stroke. Her work centers on the development and clinical validation of robot-assisted gait training, particularly using electromechanical devices like the Lokomat gait orthosis. Her major contributions include pioneering evidence that early, intensive, and task-specific robotic therapy can significantly improve walking function in non-ambulatory stroke patients. Her landmark 2007 study, a prospective, blinded, randomized crossover trial, demonstrated the feasibility and potential efficacy of the Lokomat for gait rehabilitation, accumulating over 380 citations and establishing a foundational protocol in the field. More recently, her 2019 single-blind randomized controlled trial extended this work by showing that early robot-assisted retraining yields superior outcomes compared to conventional therapy alone, even in severely impaired individuals. With a combined citation count exceeding 420, Quirbach’s research has directly shaped clinical guidelines for post-stroke rehabilitation, emphasizing the critical window for intervention and the value of automated, repetitive task practice. Her work remains essential reading for clinicians and researchers advancing neurorehabilitation technologies.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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