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Exoskeleton Treatment of Deconditioning Due to Limited Ambulation Caused by Illness or Injury

Exoskeleton Treatment of Deconditioning Due to Limited Ambulation Caused by Illness or Injury

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03355755
Enrollment
15
Registered
2017-11-28
Start date
2017-10-11
Completion date
2018-12-13
Last updated
2023-04-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Debility Due to Disease

Brief summary

A safety and feasibility study of robotic exoskeleton training in deconditioned patients residing in a healthcare facility.

Detailed description

Patients who are hospitalized for several weeks or months are at a higher risk of decline in physical condition and are also at a higher risk of rehospitalization within 30 days of discharge. A program incorporating robotic exoskeleton training may provide sufficient physical support and challenge for patients to maintain a higher level of physical condition than if they did not undergo exoskeleton training. The investigators aim to demonstrate that EksoGT robotic exoskeleton training can be performed safely with patients who have been hospitalized and are at risk of experiencing a further decline in their physical condition.

Interventions

DEVICEEksoGT with SmartAssist software

Intervention will consist of exercise using the EksoGT exoskeleton for supported walking. The EksoGT is a powered motorized orthosis intended to enable individuals who are experiencing muscular or neurological conditions affecting their lower extremities to perform ambulatory functions such as gait training.

Sponsors

Ekso Bionics
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Single-arm safety and feasibility study.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. A diagnosis of deconditioned, defined as the loss of muscle tone and endurance due to chronic disease, immobility, or loss of function. 2. Adults 18 years and older (or as specified by state law). 3. Admitted into a hospital, long-term care facility, skilled nursing facility, or similar. 4. Sufficient upper extremity strength to use a front wheeled walker by manual muscle testing (minimum triceps strength bilaterally of 3/5, shoulder abduction and flexion/extension 4/5). 5. Screened and cleared by a physician for full weight-bearing exercise training. 6. Weigh 220 pounds (100kg) or less. 7. Between approximately 5'0 and 6'4 tall. 8. Standing hip width of approximately 18 or less. 9. Have near normal range of motion in hips, knees and ankles.

Exclusion criteria

1. Currently involved in another intervention study. 2. Transferred to the intensive care unit or isolation-room stay. 3. Currently on a ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine. 4. Currently have a ventricular assist device (VAD) or an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD). 5. Advanced heart failure - ejection fraction of \< 20%. 6. Documented cardiovascular risk from exercise. 7. Resting heart rate \<50 bpm or \>120 bpm. 8. Uncontrolled or new (within 24 hours) arrythmias. 9. Resting blood pressure below 90/70 or above 160/100. 10. Oxygen saturation (O2 sat) \< 90% during rest. 11. Uncontrolled or severe orthostatic hypotension that limits standing tolerance. 12. Cardiac ischemia within 24 hours. 13. Unresolved or new (within 24 hours) deep vein thrombosis. 14. Concurrent severe neurological pathology/disease or stroke within 72 hours. 15. Open skin ulcerations on any body surfaces in contact with exoskeleton. 16. Acute fracture 17. Osteoporosis 18. Active heterotrophic ossification (HO) of the lower extremity, hip dysplasia, or hip/knee axis abnormalities. 19. Current chemotherapy 20. Inability to speak or understand the English language. 21. Inability to cooperate in tests/exercises. 22. Hip flexion contracture greater than \ 17°. 23. Knee flexion contracture greater than 12°. 24. Unable to achieve neutral ankle dorsiflexion with passive stretch (neutral with max 12° knee flexion). 25. Cognitive impairments - unable to follow 2 step commands or to communicate pain or to stop session. 26. Pregnancy 27. Any reason the physician may deem as harmful to the participant to enroll or continue in the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment2 weeksThe primary endpoint is safety defined as the number of participants experiencing an adverse event per overall during the study period.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment That Was Deemed Definitely Device Related2 weeksCount of number of participants who experienced any adverse event that was rated as definitely related to treatment with the Ekso device.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

One arm study.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Interventional Group
All participants will be included in the interventional group. Intervention will consist of walking exercise using the EksoGT exoskeleton for supported walking, running SmartAssist software. EksoGT with SmartAssist software: Intervention will consist of exercise using the EksoGT exoskeleton for supported walking. The EksoGT is a powered motorized orthosis intended to enable individuals who are experiencing muscular or neurological conditions affecting their lower extremities to perform ambulatory functions such as gait training.
15
Total15

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicInterventional Group
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
4 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
11 Participants
Age, Continuous50.87 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 19.94
Days since diagnosis93.62 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 75.54
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
13 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
15 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 13
other
Total, other adverse events
5 / 13
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 13

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment

The primary endpoint is safety defined as the number of participants experiencing an adverse event per overall during the study period.

Time frame: 2 weeks

Population: 2 participants did not complete study protocol due to early discharge from hospital

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Interventional GroupNumber of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment5 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment That Was Deemed Definitely Device Related

Count of number of participants who experienced any adverse event that was rated as definitely related to treatment with the Ekso device.

Time frame: 2 weeks

Population: 2 participants did not complete study protocol due to early discharge from hospital

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Interventional GroupNumber of Participants Who Experience an Adverse Event During Time of Treatment That Was Deemed Definitely Device Related2 Participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026