In one person with Parkinson’s disease, freezing of gait was averted through the use of a soft robotic apparel that provided a moderate level of hip-flexion assistance during the swing phase of walking. This approach delivered instantaneous effects and consistently improved walking quality and function across a range of conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Lewis, S. et al. Stepping up to meet the challenge of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease. Transl. Neurodegener. 11, 23 (2022). This perspective discusses gaps and shortcomings in the FoG field, including the standardization of definitions and measurement, phenomenology and pathophysiology.
Kim, J. et al. Reducing the energy cost of walking with low assistance levels through optimized hip flexion assistance from a soft exosuit. Sci. Rep. 12, 11004 (2022). This paper shows a soft wearable robot to augment walking and running in healthy people.
Plotnik, M., Giladi, N. & Hausdorff, J. M. Is freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease a result of multiple gait impairments? Implications for treatment. Parkinsons Dis. 2012, 459321 (2012). This paper introduces the concept that more than one gait-control mechanism (that is, deteriorations in rhythm control, coordination of gait, and step scaling) might be impaired in FoG, and that these mechanisms may interact to trigger a FoG episode.
Ahn, J. & Hogan, N. Walking is not like reaching: evidence from periodic mechanical perturbations. PLoS ONE 7, e31767 (2012). This paper demonstrates that healthy people can adjust their step frequency to that of pulses delivered by an ankle exoskeleton.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Kim, J. et al. Soft robotic apparel to avert freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease. Nat. Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02731-8 (2024).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wearable robot helps man with Parkinson’s disease to walk. Nat Med 30, 47–48 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02756-z
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02756-z
