Abstract
Background: This is a feasibility study aimed to investigate the effects of a novel lightweight ankle exoskeleton on gait and balance in an individual with Parkinson disease (PD).
Case Description: An 85-year old woman with a 5-year history of PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.5) participated in the study. The participant received 4 visits over 4 weeks including 1 evaluation and three 30-minute training sessions wearing the ankle exoskeleton.
Results: The participant demonstrated a 26% reduction in metabolic cost during walking and nearly 10% improvement in peak anterior-posterior center-of-pressure displacement during balance testing with untethered exoskeleton assistance compared with baseline.
Conclusion: Participant-specific ankle exoskeleton is a feasible and safe intervention that can improve walking economy as well as balance in individuals with PD.