Relearning functional and symmetric walking after stroke using a wearable device: a feasibility study.

Only six participants were studied, so the results cannot show how likely the changes are in a broader stroke population. There was no matched control group receiving standard physical therapy or walking alone, so the changes cannot be compared with usual recovery or exercise. The device was worn together with a height and weight matched shoe on the paretic foot and with physical therapist supervision, so the contribution of the shoe alone cannot be separated. One participant did not complete the follow-up Timed Up and Go and 6-minute walk tests. The gait velocity meaningful change thresholds were based on people 30 to 150 days post stroke, while all participants were more than one year post stroke. The 6-minute walk improvements did not surpass the 34 m minimal clinically important difference, and the four-week training had only 6 hours total walk time.

Funding was named as Moterum Technologies, Inc. and Florida High Tech Corridor.

Do not read the improvements as proof that the shoe causes recovery. The study had six participants, no matched control group, and the shoe was used with a matched shoe on the other foot and with physical therapist supervision.