Robotic Exoskeleton Exercise Improves Walking Ability and Thinking Speed in Small Society-Funded Study
June 1, 2021
A four-week exercise/rehabilitation program using a wearable robotic “exoskeleton” improved walking ability, information processing speed, and brain connectivity (how parts of the brain interact with one another) significantly more than standard walking rehabilitation in a small study of ten people with MS who had walking problems. A robotic exoskeleton allows people to walk over ground in close engagement with a rehabilitation therapist. Further study in larger numbers of people is needed to confirm these findings. This study was partly funded by the National MS Society.
"A pilot randomized controlled trial of robotic exoskeleton-assisted exercise rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis," by Drs. Ghaith J. Androwis, John DeLuca, and colleagues, was published on April 4, 2021 in
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, and can be read without subscription.