Effects of a soft robotic exosuit on the quality and speed of overground walking depends on walking ability after stroke.

Journal: Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation
Published Date: Sep 1, 2023

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Soft robotic exosuits can provide partial dorsiflexor and plantarflexor support in parallel with paretic muscles to improve poststroke walking capacity. Previous results indicate that baseline walking ability may impact a user's ability to leverage the exosuit assistance, while the effects on continuous walking, walking stability, and muscle slacking have not been evaluated. Here we evaluated the effects of a portable ankle exosuit during continuous comfortable overground walking in 19 individuals with chronic hemiparesis. We also compared two speed-based subgroups (threshold: 0.93 m/s) to address poststroke heterogeneity.

Authors

  • Lizeth H Sloot
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • Lauren M Baker
    Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Jaehyun Bae
  • Franchino Porciuncula
    Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Blandine F Clément
    Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Christopher Siviy
    John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
  • Richard W Nuckols
    School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University and Wyss Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
  • Teresa Baker
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Regina Sloutsky
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Dabin K Choe
    Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Kathleen O'Donnell
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • Terry D Ellis
    Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. tellis@bu.edu walsh@seas.harvard.edu.
  • Louis N Awad
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • Conor J Walsh
    John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA. walsh@seas.harvard.edu.

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