Effects of Ambulation Training Utilizing an Exoskeleton Robot on Subjects With Spinal Cord Injury

In the researchers' words

The present study aims to investigate the effects of ReWalk exoskeleton robot training on various physiological and psychological parameters among subjects with spinal cord injury, including body composition and bone mineral mass, balance ability, bowel and bladder symptoms, severity of pain, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Ten patients with paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury will be recruited from the out-patient clinic of Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the China Medical University hospital. All participants will undergo dual X-ray absorptiometry to evaluate the baseline bone mineral density. Eligible participants will then take ReWalk training sessions comprises of 3 x 1-hour sessions per week for 40 sessions. A comprehensive battery of outcome measures, including body composition and bone mineral mass, balance ability, bowel and bladder symptoms, severity of pain, psychological well-being, and quality of life, will be utilized for comparison after 40 sessions of ReWalk ambulation training.