The Effectiveness of a Passive Hip Exoskeleton (ExoBand, by Moveo, Padova, Italy) in Improving Walking Speed After the Rehabilitation of Patients with Neurological Diseases

Research Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a lower-limb exoskeleton, named ExoBand (by Moveo, Padova, Italy), in enhancing walking speed during a rehabilitation protocol for neurological adults with impaired gait function. ExoBand is a passive exoskeleton that assists hip flexion, consisting of a waist belt, and two thigh parts connected to the waist belt by two elastic elements, designed to enhance forces load path. ExoBand has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the energy cost of walking in older, otherwise healthy adults, and in improving walking distance in adults affected by neurological diseases. These findings candidates ExoBand as a promising new wearable lower-limb exoskeleton for gait rehabilitation

Design: Subjects underwent a 10-session personalized rehabilitative protocol over 2-3 weeks, randomizedly assigned to a qualified physiotherapist and following the standard of care of rehabilitation programs for each individual and pathology.

Setting: We analyzed the data of all consecutive patients with neurological disease and presenting walking impairment, referring to a private Rehabilitation Center (CEMES, Synlab, Padova, IT) where ExoBand is in use as standard of care for walking rehabilitation.

Participants: A total of 25 participants (median age: 57 years), including 4 individuals with Parkinson's disease, 10 with multiple sclerosis, and 11 with stroke were included

Interventions: The rehabilitation protocol encompassed passive mobilization, balance and postural correction, and 20 minutes of gait training. The latter involved either the use of the ExoBand exoskeleton (study group) or no exoskeleton (control group).

Main Outcome Measures: Walking speed measured in Walker View system (TecnoBody, Bergamo, Italy), identified in self-adaptive mode at baseline and at the end of training protocol.

Results: The beneficial effects of training sessions on gait characteristics were confirmed in both groups, as demonstrated by a significant increase in walking speed at the conclusion of the training period, (0.71 to 0.81 m/s in ExoTraining group, from 0.55 to 0.61 in control group, p< 0.05) (Figure 2a-b). The increase was significantly higher in patients trained with ExoBand (+14.2% vs +8.6%, p< 0.05, Fig. 2c). No adverse events derived by the use of ExoBand were reported.

Conclusions: The findings of this study support the use of the soft exoskeleton ExoBand as an effective external support tool for gait rehabilitation in individuals with neurological diseases

Author(s) Disclosures: A patent has been filed describing the ExoBand components documented in this abstract; F.A.P. was author of this patent and is employed by Moveo srl. C.S. and S.C. are employed by Moveo srl.