Soft Exosuits for Functional Gait Recovery in Acute Stroke Rehabilitation

Soft Exosuits for Functional Gait Recovery in Acute Stroke Rehabilitation

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the use of soft exosuits in patients post stroke.

AIM 1: Develop individualized adaptive controller parameters and a training progression program for these exosuits specific for inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

AIM 2: Evaluate the impact of the soft exosuit + conventional inpatient rehabilitation vs.

conventional inpatient rehabilitation alone on measures of lower-extremity impairments and functional recovery following acute stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-85 years
• History of single stroke event with deficits predominately affecting one side of the body
• Stroke less than 4 years ago (AIM 1)
• Stroke within the past 6 months (AIM 2)
• Capable of standing with assistance
• Medical clearance by a physician

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to communicate with investigators
• Pressure ulcers or skin wounds located where the exosuit interfaces (calf, thigh, waist)
• History of significant peripheral artery disease (PAD)
• Unresolved deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Psychiatric or cognitive impairments that may interfere with proper operation of the device
• Known urethane allergies
• Pregnancy
• Other comorbidities that prevent full participation in research