The Kickstart Walk Assist System for improving balance and walking function in stroke survivors: a feasibility study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Compared with traditional physical therapy for stroke patients, lower extremity exoskeletons can provide patients with greater endurance and more repeatable and controllable training, which can reduce the therapeutic burden of the therapist. However, most exoskeletons are expensive, heavy or require active power to be operated. Therefore, a lighter, easy to wear, easy to operate, low-cost technology for stroke rehabilitation would be a welcome opportunity for stroke survivors, caregivers and clinicians. One such device is the Kickstart Walk Assist system and the purpose of this study was to determine feasibility of using this unpowered exoskeleton device in a sample of stroke survivors.

Methods

Thirty stroke survivors were enrolled in the study and experienced wal

SUBMITTER: Yao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7905648 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature