Technologies for Therapy and Assistance of Lower Limb Disabilities: Sit to Stand and Walking

Abstract

Lower limb disabilities hinder or impede performing various activities of daily living and productive tasks. Sit to stand (STS) and walking are intrinsically related tasks, and for this reason, the rehabilitation of people with lower limb disabilities includes techniques for both tasks. The purpose of this document is to provide relevant information that should be considered when selecting or designing rehabilitation robots for the STS and walking tasks. A comprehensive description of the diseases and conditions related to motor disabilities is given first. The biomechanics of the STS movement and walking are described later. Then traditional rehabilitation therapy techniques are briefly discussed. Finally, an overview of the robotic devices for therapy and assistance of lower limb disabilities that have been reported in the literature is presented.