Riley Hospital for Children in Indiana is using robots to help children with cerebral palsy improve the movement in their arms and legs.

The hospital's new interactive Robotic Rehabilitation Center has two robots that enable therapists to measure the strengths and weaknesses of children with cerebral palsy. This information allows therapists to better tailor therapy sessions to provide the maximum benefit for the children.

The robots move the children's limbs, and are designed to form connections between their limbs and their brains. For example, one patient is a young girl with cerebral palsy who has great difficulty in bending her knees when she tries to walk. The robot moves her legs repeatedly in a walking motion, in the hopes that a connection will be formed between her legs and her brain.

The therapy reprograms the brain, according to Dr. Greg Wilson, co-director of the center. He stated that therapists have been doing this type of therapy for a long time, but now they have new tools to make therapy more effective.

In addition to cerebral palsy patients, robotic therapy is also helpful for children with traumatic brain injuries or adult stroke patients. A study of robotic therapy revealed that children who receive the therapy demonstrate a 20 percent to 33 percent improvement in walking and gait.

Robotic therapy is also available in Chicago and Cincinnati, although these sites generally have waiting lists. The Riley center has two robots. One is a $370,000 robot used for lower extremities and the other is a $140,000 robot that focuses on the upper extremities.

Source: HattiesburgAmerican.com "Hospital uses robots as new tool in kids' therapy 'Reprogramming the brain'" 9/8/10