Effect of an exosuit on gait capacity in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional study.

CONTEXT: Individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) often have reduced gait capacity. Passive assistive devices can provide support, but they are usually suboptimal in terms of gait efficiency and speed. Exosuits, soft actively powered devices, provide additional torques around the leg joints that may improve gait capacity.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a bilaterally configured exosuit providing hip and knee extension support on gait capacity in individuals with iSCI.

METHODS

Thirty-one participants with iSCI received a five-session training program to adapt to the exosuit (MyoSuit). They subsequently performed the 10-Meter Walk Test at preferred and maximum walking speed and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), under two conditions: walking with the exosuit and walking without it.

RESULTS

Preferred walking speed was significantly lower with the exosuit compared to walking without (median difference: -0.03 m/s, p = 0.002, r=-0.6). No significant differences were found for maximum walking speed (median difference: -0.04 m/s, p = 0.08), walking distance during the 6MWT (median difference: -11 m, p = 0.11), or perceived exertion during the 6MWT (median difference: 0, p = 0.41).

CONCLUSION

A significantly lower preferred walking speed when walking with the bilaterally configured exosuit was found, although the median difference remained well below the minimal clinically important difference of 0.15 m/s. We conclude that a bilaterally configured exosuit providing hip and knee extension support (MyoSuit) does not improve gait capacity in individuals with iSCI, which implies that limited effects on ambulation in the home and community settings must be expected as well.Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05605912. Registered on October 19, 2022.