The Effect Of Robot-Assisted Gait Training On Walking And Balance In Patients With Friedreich's Ataxia: Case Report

Abstract

Friedreich ataxia (FA) is a rare, hereditary autosomal recessive inheritance, progressive neurodegenerative disease, and its incidence in the community is approximately 1 / 50,000. The disease usually has neuropathological symptoms such as progressive ataxia, muscle weakness, and loss of reflex in the lower extremity, and associated loss of gait and balance. Although some medical drugs are used to prevent the development of FA today, there is no fully developed treatment option. Physical therapy is the only treatment option for the suppression of symptomatic effects that occur in patients and thus to make the person more independent. Our patient was a 15-year-old male patient diagnosed with FA 6 years ago. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of robot-assisted walking training (RDI), which is applied in addition to traditional physical therapy methods, to the functionality of the patient.