The UAB Locomotor Control and Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory, known on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus as the LocoLab, has developed five different exercise protocols for participants in UAB stroke research. Each of the five are assessed within one device - the KineAssist.
“We have a funded project now where we measure the five domains and we use an evaluation tool to measure each so we can find out which of those five is the strongest, which is the second strongest and so on until we define which is the weakest," said David Brown, PhD, director of the LocoLab and the UAB PhD in Rehabilitation Science program.
The study gives participants a two-week concentrated-target-focused intervention on whichever domain is identified as the weakest. After two weeks they measure the participant to see if that area went up in the rankings. They will do this for 10 weeks - always focusing on the weakest domain.
"We want to find out if this strategy leads to better improvements than if we just did a more generalized approach to rehabilitation training,” said Brown. “We are working on many studies in this lab where we are challenging people and making the environment more difficult. That is the best way to learn more and to identify solutions."
Research
Researchers in the LocoLab have decades of combined experience in researching locomotor impairments and walking dysfunction. And have been published in more than 10 peer-reviewed journals. Here is a look at some highlights of our researcher's recently published works:
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Publications
- Wang J, Hurt CP, Capo-Lugo CE, Brown DA (2015)“Characteristics of horizontal force generation for individuals post-stroke walking against progressive resistive forces.” Clin Biomech 30(1):40-5.
- Hurt CP, Wang J, Capo-Lugo CE, Brown, DA (2015). “Effect of progressive horizontal resistive force on comfortable walking speed of individuals post-stroke.” Journal NeuroEng Rehabil. 12:12.
- Liang, JN, Brown DA (2014). "Foot force direction control during a pedaling task in individuals post-stroke." Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 11(1):63.
- Liang, JN, Brown DA (2013). "Impaired foot-force direction regulation during postural loaded locomotion in individuals poststroke." Journal of Neurophysiology, 110(2):378-86.
- Capó-Lugo CE, Mullens CH, Brown DA (2012). "Maximum walking speeds obtained using treadmill and overground robot system in persons with post-stroke hemiplegia." Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 9:80.
- Hidler J, Brown DA (2012). "Robotic Devices for Overground Gait and Balance Training in Neurorehabilitation Technology." By Dietz, Volker; Nef, Tobias; Rymer, William Zev (Eds.), Springer, 2012.
- Breger, J, Collins N, Deshpande A, Johnston L, LeJeune J, Palit P, Potter K, Hedman L, Brown DA (2012). "Validity of the K-9 & BESTest balance measures in community-dwelling stroke survivors." 2012 Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA, Chicago, IL.
- Alibiglou L, Brown DA (2011). “Impaired muscle phasing systematically adapts to varied relative angular relationships during locomotion in people poststroke.” Journal of Neurophysiology, 105:1660-1670
- Rogers LM, Brown DA, Stinear JW (2011). "The effects of paired associative stimulation on knee extensor motor excitability of individuals post-stroke: a pilot study." Clinical Neurophysiology 122(6):1211-8.
- Alibiglou L, Brown DA (2011). "Relative temporal leading or following position of the contralateral limb generates different aftereffects in muscle phasing following adaptation training post-stroke." Experimental Brain Research 211(1):37-50.
- Burgess JK, Weibel GC, Brown DA (2010). "Overground walking speed changes when subjected to body weight support conditions for nonimipaired and post stroke individuals." Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 11;7:6.
- Alibiglou L, Lopez-Ortiz C, Walter CB, Brown DA (2009). “Bilateral limb phase relationship and its potential to alter muscle activity phasing during locomotion.” Journal of Neurophysiology, 102:2856-2865
- Schindler-Ivens S, Brown DA, Lewis GN, Nielsen JB, Onishko KL, Wieser J (2008). "Soleus H-reflex excitability during pedaling post-stroke." Experimental Brain Research, 188(3):465-74.
- Ryerson S, Byl NN, Brown DA, Wong RA, Hidler JM (2008). "Altered trunk position sense and its relation to balance functions in people post-stroke." Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy 32(1):14-20.
- Patton J, Lewis E, Crombie G, Peshkin M, Colgate E, Santos J, Makhlin A, Brown DA (2008) "A novel robotic device to enhance balance and mobility training post-stroke." Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation 15.2: 131-9.
- Patton J, Brown DA, Peshkin M, Santos-Munné JJ, Makhlin A, Lewis E, Colgate JE, Schwandt D (2008) "KineAssist: Design and Development of a Robotic Overground Gait and Balance Therapy Device." Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation 15(2):131-139.
- Brown DA, Nagpal S, Chi S (2005). “Limb-loaded cycling program for locomotor intervention following stroke.” Physical Therapy 85(2):159-168
- Schindler-Ivens S, Brown DA, Brooke JD (2004). "Direction-dependent phasing of locomotor muscle activity is altered post-stroke." Journal of Neurophysiology 92(4):2207-16.
- Rogers LM, Brown DA, Gruben KG (2004). “Foot force direction control during leg pushes against fixed and moving pedals in persons post-stroke.” Gait & Posture, 19(1): 58-68.
- Kautz SA, Brown DA (1998). “Relationships between timing of muscle excitation and impaired motor performance during cyclical lower extremity movement in post-stroke hemiplegia.” Brain 121(3): 515-526.
Become a Participant
We are dedicated to the health and well-being of the greater Birmingham area. We seek to understand the underlying control mechanisms of poor locomotor control and to develop quantitative evaluation and intervention tools for the amelioration of locomotor and balance deficits.
We are always looking for individuals 6 months post-stroke to assist with UAB stroke research.
If you are interested in learning more about being a participant please email us at
Please note there are size limits for the KineAssist which include:
- Weight limit – 350 lbs (158.8 kg)
- Patient height – 4' 10" up to 6' 4" (58 - 193 cm)
- Pelvic width – 11.5" – 22.4" (29.2 - 56.9 cm)