BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — Combining brain-computer interface (BCI) rehabilitation training with a gait robot (GR) accelerates lower-limb functional recovery after stroke and improves muscle activation patterns more effectively than either intervention alone, according to a randomized controlled trial of 120 patients published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on March 27, 2026.
Researchers at Shandong Provincial Third Hospital enrolled 120 eligible participants and randomly allocated them via a random-number table into four equal groups (n=30 each): control (routine training), BCI, GR, and BCI-GR (BCI combined with GR training). Each group received its designated training once daily, 6 days per week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Assessments included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (FMA-LE), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), integrated electromyography (IEMG), and stride parameters, measured at baseline, week 4, and week 8.
After 8 weeks, all interventions—BCI, GR, and BCI-GR—significantly improved lower-limb function, muscle activity, and gait compared with control (all P<.01). FMA-LE increased by +12.93 (BCI-GR), +12.16 (BCI), and +12.07 (GR) versus +8.20 in control; BBS improved by +14.53, +13.63, and +14.30 versus +9.53; FAC improved by +1.73, +1.73, and +1.77 versus +1.37. IEMG of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius increased most in BCI-GR (+0.156 and +0.063), significantly higher than BCI and GR (P<.05), whereas co-contraction ratio decreased most in BCI-GR (-18.59%; P<.05). Stride parameters (step frequency, step length, step width, and walking speed) improved in all intervention groups, with BCI-GR showing greater gains in step frequency (+25.90) and step width reduction (-12.87) versus single interventions (P<.05).
The authors concluded that BCI and GR interventions significantly improve lower-limb motor function, muscle activation, and gait in post-stroke patients, and that combined BCI-GR training accelerates early functional recovery and more effectively enhances muscle activation patterns compared with single interventions, offering a promising strategy for post-stroke rehabilitation.