"Stepping Into The Future: New Hi-Tech Exoskeletons Giving Stroke Victims The Ability To Walk Again" - Max Gomez
Learning to walk again after a stroke can be a long and grueling process. We used to think that there was only so much function you could recover after a stroke. Now we know that the brain has an amazing capacity to “rewire” – to work around damaged areas by a process called neuro-plasticity. That takes a lot of repetition and that’s where exoskeletons come in. The modern-day, real world version of sci-fi exoskeletons are called the Ekso GT. It’s helping Karru Martinson learn how to walk again after he suffered a stroke seven months ago. Maria del Mar Cortes, MD, assistant professor in the department of rehabilitation and human performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said standing and walking rehab has many benefits after a stroke, including “psychosocial benefits, cardiovascular benefits, increased bone density, better blood pressure, and fitness.” With the aid of a trained physical therapist, the Ekso GT also senses and adapts, providing the assistance Karru needs as his brain slowly rewires.
— Maria del Mar Cortes, MD, Assistant Professor, Department Rehabilitation & Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Sep 28, 2023 View All Press Releases
