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Powered Exoskeleton

Powered Exoskeleton for Spinal Cord Injury (EKSO Trial)

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Arun Jayaraman, PhD
Research Sponsored by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Participants must be between 18-65 years of age.
Participants must be able to tolerate upright standing for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up testing day 1 - 3 and follow up testing week 6 and week 12.
Awards & highlights

EKSO Trial Summary

This trial is testing a device called Ekso to see if it is safe and effective for people with spinal cord injuries or similar neurological weaknesses. The device helps the person stand, walk, and turn, and sit down. The trial will test if the person using Ekso can safely balance and walk without losing balance, and if they improve in weight shift and other activities.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults aged 18-65 with spinal cord injury (SCI) levels C7-S1 or similar neurological weakness, who can fit into and tolerate the Ekso exoskeleton. They must stand for 30 minutes and have upper body strength to use a walker. Excluded are those with skin issues, cognitive impairments, extreme height/weight, joint contractures limiting movement, severe osteoporosis without physician approval.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The EKSO Trial tests the safety and effectiveness of an Ekso powered exoskeleton in helping individuals with SCI walk again. It evaluates balance improvement while standing, ability to walk 10 meters safely, better weight shifting during movement as assessed by therapists, and user feedback on device training success.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Potential side effects may include discomfort from wearing the device, skin irritation at contact points with the exoskeleton, muscle fatigue due to physical activity or strain from balancing and walking efforts.

EKSO Trial Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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You must be between 18 and 65 years old.
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You must be able to stand upright for at least 30 minutes without any problems.
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You must have a spinal cord injury between the C7 and S1 vertebrae.
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You need to be able to move your joints normally in order to walk properly.
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You need to have enough strength in your upper body to use a walker and wear the exoskeleton.
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You have a different type of neurological weakness than spinal cord injury, but you meet all the other criteria to participate in the study.

EKSO Trial Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~day 1- 3 after the first trial of the ekso, follow up testing on week 6 and week 12
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and day 1- 3 after the first trial of the ekso, follow up testing on week 6 and week 12 for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Change in 10 meter walk test from baseline in gait speed
Change in 6 Minute Walk Test from baseline in distance, rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE), and oxygen uptake
Secondary outcome measures
2 Minute Walk Test
Ratio of number of steps/walking time
Walk time to stand time ratio on a particular assistive device
Other outcome measures
Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Device Scale (PIADS)

EKSO Trial Design

1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Ekso Safety and EfficacyExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Observational study on the first time use of a robotic exoskeleton.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Shirley Ryan AbilityLabLead Sponsor
192 Previous Clinical Trials
14,845 Total Patients Enrolled
United States Department of DefenseFED
856 Previous Clinical Trials
225,555 Total Patients Enrolled
Arun Jayaraman, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorRIC/Northwestern
5 Previous Clinical Trials
215 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Ekso exoskeleton (Powered Exoskeleton) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT01701388 — N/A
Spinal Cord Injury Research Study Groups: Ekso Safety and Efficacy
Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial 2023: Ekso exoskeleton Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT01701388 — N/A
Ekso exoskeleton (Powered Exoskeleton) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT01701388 — N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Who else is applying?

What site did they apply to?
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Did not meet criteria
~3 spots leftby Mar 2025