Since 8th June 2019, Steve Barnes, who regularly attends the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre, has been travelling to Canterbury each week to be involved in the medical trial using a robotic suit to exercise:
Since 8th June 2019, Steve Barnes, who regularly attends the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre, has been travelling to Canterbury each week to be involved in the medical trial using a robotic suit to exercise:
When I first mentioned what I was doing, most people I know joked about Wallace and Gromit and the wrong trousers – and the principle of how it works is very similar. The robot is used to assist in a neuro-rehabilitation programme aimed at improving balance and mobility. One of the main motivating factors for me getting involved is that my daughter gets married in August so I would like to improve my walking for taking her down the aisle.
So, what does the trial entail? As part of the setup, I was measured up so that each Saturday, the suit is calibrated to my dimensions for me to use. Before the 5 weeks of exercise, I went through a range of pre-assessment tests to try to arrive at a baseline of what I could do and this will be repeated at the end to see if anything has changed. Each Saturday, the exercise focuses particularly on strengthening the abs and helping to develop an innate ability to switch them on and off. The suit helps to support and hold you in position and helps promote good posture whilst you exercise, which is quite liberating and enables you to exercise in ways you would never be able to achieve normally.
So far, I have done 4 out of the 5 sessions. At first, I found it hard to discern any benefits, probably because the exercise on a Saturday was tiring and I felt wiped out for days. Now I feel it has re-awakened in me a sense of how I should stand and walk – it’s still hard to match this with strength and energy but, all in all just the sort of intervention I needed – and something to build on. I would thoroughly recommend it. And the wedding? At this stage I feel more confident about walking my daughter down the aisle but, with the speed of my walking, it could be a long service!
I understand that there is still an opportunity to get involved. It is quite a way to go each week, but a chance to do something new and exciting that could benefit you. If interested, please see previous articles, ask me about it or contact Karen Saunders (Consultant Clinical & Research Neuro-physiotherapist) either by email Karen or telephone 07920785768.
Karen says “we currently have 3 places left on the trial and would encourage anyone interested to contact us asap. Karen commented that “As a supportive weight-bearing exoskeleton, this Rex device offers a unique opportunity to experience comfortable postural support, whilst working actively to consciously recruit and strengthen core abdominal muscles.” The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy recently published an article, which also gives further information click here. Dr Mohamed Sakel is the Principal Investigator & Consultant in Neuro-rehabilitation and commented that “With a bit of tweaking, this could become an innovative treatment for thousands of people with MS & Spinal Injury in the UK”.
