Exoskeletons for Spinal Cord Injury: A Feasibility Study

In the researchers' words

In this study, 10 volunteer participants with chronic spinal cord injury will undergo a 10-week training schedule for ambulation with the ReWalk™ device. The ReWalk™ consists of a lightweight brace-support suit containing motors at the hip and knee joints, rechargeable batteries and a computerized control system carried in a backpack. ReWalk™ users control their ambulation through subtle changes in centre of gravity and upper-body movements. Before, during and after training sessions the volunteers will perform standardised assessments and complete questionnaires to assess the functional and psychological effects of the exoskeleton. Functional outcomes primarily focus on ambulation outcomes and psychological outcomes primarily focus on predisposition and perceptions of disability. The outcomes of this pilot study will assist the investigators in the preparations of randomised controlled trail for assessing the efficacy of the ReWalk™ device in a neurorehabilitation setting.