Journal of Clinical Medicine: Exoskeleton-assisted walking can improve bowel function in patients with spinal cord injury

Intestinal function impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to the lack of voluntary control and reduction of bowel movement.
Intestinal dysfunction is a common condition after spinal cord injury, which can lead to chronic constipation and urinary incontinence, causing discomfort and frustration
.

In a survey, more than one-third of men with spinal cord injuries reported that bowel and bladder dysfunction had the most important impact on their lives after injury

Intestinal function impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to the lack of voluntary control and reduction of bowel movement.

In an article published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Journal of Clinical Medicine , researchers have demonstrated that physical intervention programs that include exoskeleton-assisted walking can help researchers have proven that physical intervention programs that include exoskeleton-assisted walking It can help SCI patients to evacuate more effectively and improve the consistency of stool

Rehabilitation professionals have traditionally used methods that target the gastrointestinal system or require manual intervention to manage bowel dysfunction.
Some newer studies have shown that physical activity and upright posture can enhance bowel movement
.

Few studies have explored exoskeleton assisted walking - in this case, patients with SCI use exoskeleton devices to help them stand and walk - this may be an effective supplement to existing intervention programs

Rehabilitation professionals have traditionally used methods that target the gastrointestinal system or require manual intervention to manage bowel dysfunction.

In this study, the research team investigated whether bone-assisted walking improves bowel function in patients with chronic SCI .
They conducted a three-center, randomized, controlled crossover clinical trial in which 50 participants completed 36 exoskeleton-assisted walks .
The researchers assessed bowel function as a secondary outcome in 49 participants .
Intestinal function was measured by 10 question intestinal function survey, Bristol Stool Scale and SCI Quality of Life Management Difficulty Scale .

Ten Questions Intestinal Function Survey

Ten Questions Intestinal Function Survey

Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) results
.

The frequency distribution before and after the exoskeleton assisted walking and the activities before and after

Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) results

Spinal cord injury quality of life

Spinal cord injury quality of life

The results showed that compared with the control group, the exoskeleton-assisted walking program had a certain effect on improving bowel function
.

The experimental results saw a significant reduction in defecation time.
24% of the participants reported that their experience had improved.
The researchers also found that the participants’ stools tended to be more consistent, which supported the above hypothesis.
That is, this intervention can improve several indicators of intestinal function

The results showed that compared with the control group, the exoskeleton-assisted walking program had a certain effect on improving bowel function

Bristol stool forms scales

Bristol stool forms scales

These findings support the view that walking is more than just standing, it also has a beneficial effect on bowel function
.

The purpose of the research is to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic SCI.

These findings support the view that walking is more than just standing, it also has a beneficial effect on bowel function

Article reference: Peter H.
Gorman, Gail F.
Forrest, Pierre K.
Asselin, William Scott, Stephen Kornfeld, Eunkyoung Hong, Ann M.
Spungen.
  The Effect of Exoskeletal-Assisted Walking on Spinal Cord Injury Bowel Function: Results from a Randomized Trial and Comparison to Other Physical Interventions The Effect of Exoskeletal-Assisted Walking on Spinal Cord Injury Bowel Function: Results from a Randomized Trial and Comparison to Other Physical Interventions .
  Journal of Clinical Medicine Journal of Clinical Medicine , 2021; 10 (5): 964 DOI:  10.
3390/jcm10050964 10.
3390/jcm10050964 10.
3390/jcm10050964

 

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