Training protocol
hemiplegic, pain
PROGRESSION, ADVERSE EVENT
Each patient underwent 5–6 sessions per week for a total of 12 gait training sessions over a period of ≥ 2 weeks. A zero session was conducted by an experienced physiotherapist (one of the co-authors) who had training with handling the device and the patients at the beginning of the study for familiarization with the device. The therapist checked for comfortable fitting of the harness for the body weight support before initiating step-by-step movement. A tuning exercise would be performed to determine the appropriate level of unloading and walking speed. The patient was trained to walk for a maximum duration of 1 h including resting period/s in between whenever required, depending upon the ability of the patient to use the body weight support system. The amount of unloading during training sessions varied from 20 to 0% of the body weight. It was based on the individual alignment of trunk and limbs with good weight shift and weight bearing onto the hemiplegic limb during the loading phases of gait. Progression of the gait training was achieved by reducing the body weight support, increasing the gait speed, and reducing the patient support from the handrail. Adverse Events, if any, were noted (like falls, pain, skin issues, device malfunctions etc.).