Effect of robot-assisted stair climbing training as part of a rehabilitation program to improve pulmonary function, gait performance, balance, and exercise capacity in a patient after severe coronavirus disease 2019: a case report

ABSTRACT

Background

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may decrease respiratory and physical functions.

Objective

To evaluate whether robot-assisted stair climbing training (RASCT) would improve pulmonary and physical functions in a patient post-severe COVID-19 infection.

Case Description

A 48-year-old woman who had experienced severe COVID-19 underwent a 6-week inpatient rehabilitation. She persistently exhibited impaired pulmonary and physical functions, including walking and balance impairment. We provided a 30-min outpatient RASCT biweekly for 6 weeks.

Outcomes

After training, maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory pressures improved from 81 and 74 cmH₂O to 104 and 81 cmH₂O, respectively. The walking speed improved from 1.15 to 1.21 m/s. In balance ability, physical performance battery score and timed up-and-go test improved from 8 to 11 s and 10.89 to 9.95 s, respectively. Regarding exercise capacity, the 6-min walk test distance improved from 453 to 482 m, and the number of 1-min sit-to-stand test improved from 20 to 23, with improved pulse rate and saturation level. The physical and psychological domain scores of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-BREF improved from 44 to 63 and 69 to 81, respectively; Falls Efficacy Scale-International scores improved from 38 to 21.

Conclusion

RASCT, as part of a rehabilitation plan, was feasible and effective for this patient after severe COVID-19 infection.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• stair climbing
• exercise tolerance
• rehabilitation robot
• gait

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.