Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study
<b>Background:</b> Exoskeletons are used in rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) due to the potential benefits they offer for locomotor rehabilitation. The acceptability of exoskeletons is crucial to promote rehabilitation and to ensure a successful implement...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Biomimetics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/36 |
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| author | Noémie Fortin-Bédard Alice Pellichero Stéphanie Leplaideur Marie-Caroline Delebecque Caroline Charette Willy Allègre Alyson Champagne Caroline Rahn Andréanne K. Blanchette Laurent Bouyer Jacques Kerdraon Marie-Eve Lamontagne François Routhier |
| author_facet | Noémie Fortin-Bédard Alice Pellichero Stéphanie Leplaideur Marie-Caroline Delebecque Caroline Charette Willy Allègre Alyson Champagne Caroline Rahn Andréanne K. Blanchette Laurent Bouyer Jacques Kerdraon Marie-Eve Lamontagne François Routhier |
| author_sort | Noémie Fortin-Bédard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> Exoskeletons are used in rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) due to the potential benefits they offer for locomotor rehabilitation. The acceptability of exoskeletons is crucial to promote rehabilitation and to ensure a successful implementation of this technology. The objective was to explore the acceptability of overground wearable powered exoskeleton used in rehabilitation among people with SCI. <b>Methods</b>: Fourteen individuals with SCI (9 men, mean [SD] age 47 years [14.8], a majority with traumatic and thoracic lesion (T6–T12)) who had utilized an exoskeleton in Canada or in France during their rehabilitation participated in a semi-structured interview. A thematic analysis using the theoretical framework of acceptability was carried out. <b>Results</b>: Participants were motivated to use an exoskeleton during their rehabilitation. They reported several perceived benefits to its use, including better walking pattern, increased endurance, and greater muscle mass. They also experienced mild pain, notable concentration demands, and fatigue. Most participants reported that using exoskeletons in their rehabilitation process was appropriate and relevant to them. <b>Conclusions</b>: Exoskeletons are generally well accepted by participants in this study. Adjustments in their use, such as conducting training sessions in obstacle-free environment and technological improvements to address the device’s restrictive characteristics, heaviness, and massiveness are however still needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1cd556bd3ea24ef3af40bfe2c690146e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2313-7673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomimetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-1cd556bd3ea24ef3af40bfe2c690146e2025-01-24T13:24:40ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-01-011013610.3390/biomimetics10010036Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative StudyNoémie Fortin-Bédard0Alice Pellichero1Stéphanie Leplaideur2Marie-Caroline Delebecque3Caroline Charette4Willy Allègre5Alyson Champagne6Caroline Rahn7Andréanne K. Blanchette8Laurent Bouyer9Jacques Kerdraon10Marie-Eve Lamontagne11François Routhier12Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaKerpape Rehabilitation Center, 56275 Ploemeur, FranceKerpape Rehabilitation Center, 56275 Ploemeur, FranceKerpape Rehabilitation Center, 56275 Ploemeur, FranceCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaKerpape Rehabilitation Center, 56275 Ploemeur, FranceCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaKerpape Rehabilitation Center, 56275 Ploemeur, FranceCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC G1C 3S2, Canada<b>Background:</b> Exoskeletons are used in rehabilitation centers for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) due to the potential benefits they offer for locomotor rehabilitation. The acceptability of exoskeletons is crucial to promote rehabilitation and to ensure a successful implementation of this technology. The objective was to explore the acceptability of overground wearable powered exoskeleton used in rehabilitation among people with SCI. <b>Methods</b>: Fourteen individuals with SCI (9 men, mean [SD] age 47 years [14.8], a majority with traumatic and thoracic lesion (T6–T12)) who had utilized an exoskeleton in Canada or in France during their rehabilitation participated in a semi-structured interview. A thematic analysis using the theoretical framework of acceptability was carried out. <b>Results</b>: Participants were motivated to use an exoskeleton during their rehabilitation. They reported several perceived benefits to its use, including better walking pattern, increased endurance, and greater muscle mass. They also experienced mild pain, notable concentration demands, and fatigue. Most participants reported that using exoskeletons in their rehabilitation process was appropriate and relevant to them. <b>Conclusions</b>: Exoskeletons are generally well accepted by participants in this study. Adjustments in their use, such as conducting training sessions in obstacle-free environment and technological improvements to address the device’s restrictive characteristics, heaviness, and massiveness are however still needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/36spinal cord injuryexoskeletonrehabilitationacceptabilityexperiencelocomotion |
| spellingShingle | Noémie Fortin-Bédard Alice Pellichero Stéphanie Leplaideur Marie-Caroline Delebecque Caroline Charette Willy Allègre Alyson Champagne Caroline Rahn Andréanne K. Blanchette Laurent Bouyer Jacques Kerdraon Marie-Eve Lamontagne François Routhier Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study Biomimetics spinal cord injury exoskeleton rehabilitation acceptability experience locomotion |
| title | Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Acceptability of Overground Wearable Powered Exoskeletons for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | acceptability of overground wearable powered exoskeletons for people with spinal cord injury a multicenter qualitative study |
| topic | spinal cord injury exoskeleton rehabilitation acceptability experience locomotion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/36 |
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