The Ability to Walk After a Spinal Cord Injury with Emphasis on Exoskeletons: A Review

Abstract

Background: In recent years, an increasing number of patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) have been reintegrating into community life and have been getting back to a more active and independent lifestyle. Consequently, rehabilitation therapies have altered, to address activity limitations that patients may experience, to increase participation in the community and to improve patients' overall quality of life. An innovative, supportive approach to locomotor training is through use of an exoskeleton, which could be used in those patients who are unable to ambulate by themselves.