Motor adaptations during the standing-up movement in individuals with spinal cord injury after training with a low-cost robotic exoskeleton

OBJECTIVES: Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) often depend on assistive technologies to promote greater autonomy, with exoskeletons being a promising alternative because they enable motor training, orthostasis, and assisted locomotion. However, the high cost of these devices limits their access. To overcome this barrier, researchers at Unioeste developed a low-cost Brazilian robotic exoskeleton with the aim of expanding access to motor rehabilitation. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the pattern of standing up and the behavior of the support base in individuals with SCI after a training protocol using this exoskeleton associated with Canadian crutches. METHODS: Ten individuals with LM sequelae participated, undergoing 10 training sessions over five weeks. Five sequences of the standing-up movement were recorded at the initial and final evaluations, allowing comparison of the variables right and left foot-crutch distance and distance between crutches at the beginning and end of the movement. All variables showed statistically significant differences after training, evidencing a reduction in the support base at both the beginning and end of the movement. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: These findings suggest improved postural control and greater efficiency and stability in performing the task, even with a smaller support area. It is concluded that training with the low-cost robotic exoskeleton prototype promoted relevant motor adaptations, contributing to a more compact support base and maintained stability during the standing-up movement. Although a direct statistical comparison of right and left sides was not performed, the reduction observed bilaterally suggests that the training may promote a more consistent interlimb pattern.