1. Physiotherapy students’ perspectives on the use and implementation of exoskeletons as a rehabilitative technology in clinical settings
- Author
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Nikhita Badiani, Sarah Gregor, Julie Vaughan-Graham, Zachariah Lockhart, Sierra Zabel, James Cornish, Adrian Flis, Leo Falzon, and Kara K. Patterson
- Subjects
Technology ,030506 rehabilitation ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Biomedical Engineering ,Wearable computer ,Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation ,Clinical settings ,03 medical and health sciences ,Speech and Hearing ,0302 clinical medicine ,Lower body ,Gait (human) ,Hardware_GENERAL ,Humans ,Medicine ,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine ,Students ,Gait Disorders, Neurologic ,Physical Therapy Modalities ,Rehabilitation ,business.industry ,Overground walking ,Exoskeleton Device ,Exoskeleton ,Physical therapy ,0305 other medical science ,business ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Wearable lower body robotic exoskeletons are an emerging technology used in gait rehabilitation to facilitate task-specific overground walking. Despite their proposed utility as a rehabilitation intervention, exoskeletons have not been widely implemented into clinical practice by physiotherapists. This study aims to inform future development of exoskeleton technology through the exploration of physiotherapy student perspectives on the use of the H2 robotic exoskeleton and the implementation of exoskeletons as a therapeutic technology in neurological gait rehabilitation.A qualitative descriptive study, including fifteen physiotherapy students, was conducted using three equally sized focus groups. A collaborative data analysis process was employed using the DEPICT model.Five themes were identified during data analysis: developing evidence-informed practice, clinical considerations for exoskeleton use, resource demands, device-specific challenges for implementation, and future development. The results suggest there are several barriers limiting novel clinicians' future use of exoskeletons.This study highlights current challenges surrounding exoskeleton implementation into clinical practice and provides direction for future exoskeleton development.Implications for rehabilitationPhysiotherapy students view exoskeletons as a potentially valuable rehabilitation tool once perceived limitations are addressed.This study encourages collaboration between physiotherapists and biomedical engineers for future exoskeleton development.More research is needed to inform treatment parameters and appropriate client criteria to guide exoskeleton use for gait rehabilitation.
- Published
- 2020
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