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Effect Of A Passive Exoskeletal Device On Locomotor Adaptive Ability In Healthy Human Subjects, James Nielsen

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Background: Functional mobility in stroke survivors is affected by the deterioration in bilateral coordination while walking. A passive exoskeletal device, the Kickstart (Cadence Biomedical, Seattle, WA), that provides assistance during walking may help correct asymmetrical gait patterns by providing different task constraints for each leg during gait training. Methods: 15 healthy young participants walked on a split-belt treadmill where the speed of each belt could be controlled independently. Each participant’s preferred walking speed (PWS), fast walking speed (FWS) and slow walking speed (SWS) was established. Participants then underwent the experimental protocol while either wearing or not wearing the exoskeleton. The …