Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the world, and can impact an individual's mobility, social participation, and quality of life. The ability walk is a key determinant of disability and can influence whether an individual is able to continue living at home after a stroke or if they need further care. Powered robotic exoskeletons are a new technology in rehabilitation which straps to the legs to automate walking regardless of leg weakness. They have only recently been used in stroke rehabilitation, and little is known about the safety and outcomes when they are used for gait training. This review has been conducted to gather information and to map the current state of research around the use of powered exoskeletons in stroke rehabilitation. At the moment, there are only a handful of research studies conducted in the area of powered robotic exoskeletons for gait rehabilitation in stroke. There is support for use of these devices in sub-acute stroke in recovering walking ability. In chronic stroke, no studies were found in which meaningful change in walking ability was found.