Therapy with a Free-Standing Robotic Exoskeleton in People
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common non-traumatic cause of disability in younger people in the world affecting around 2.8 million people. It has recently been shown that those with a Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of less than 6.0, i.e. not dependent on a mobility aid, can benefit from physical rehabilitation, with exercise improving walking ability and decreasing the impact on health related quality of life (QoL). Approximately 41% of people with MS have difficulty with independent ambulation. Weightbearing exercise is an important component of the management of condition progression and secondary complications throughout the disease course, and evidence is emerging of the benefits for people with more advanced MS. However, once a person with MS is having difficulty walking, the need for mobility aids, environmental adaptations and healthcare support, can limit access to exercise in weightbearing. Robotic technologies may offer solutions to address some of these barriers to treatment.