A new lower limb portable exoskeleton for gait assistance in neurological patients: a proof of concept study.
G Puyuelo-Quintana, R Cano-de-la-Cuerda, A Plaza-Flores and 5 others
PMID 32375815WHAT IT FOUND
Five stroke and MS patients tried a new knee exoskeleton.
No falls occurred, but most walked slower with it than without. Users liked its comfort and safety but rated its effectiveness low. This is a safety test, not proof it helps walking.
Key findings
01No adverse effects were reported, though one participant lost balance once due to a disconnected sensor.
02Most participants walked slower with the exoskeleton than without it, regardless of the assistance mode.
03Participants rated the device's effectiveness in solving their problems as low, despite liking its comfort.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only five participants were studied, making the results descriptive and not generalizable. The study was a proof-of-concept with no control group comparison for efficacy. One participant's data was compromised by a sensor disconnection, affecting the interpretation of the adaptive assistance mode. The adaptation period (5 sessions) may have been too short for users to get comfortable with the device. Most participants walked slower with the device, suggesting the assistance algorithms were not yet optimized.
Declared interests
Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and industrial doctorate grants from the Community of Madrid. Two authors received financial support from these grants.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the mixed gait speed results as evidence that the exoskeleton improves walking. Most participants walked slower with the device than without it, and the study was designed only to test safety and feasibility, not efficacy.