Review of 21 Studies Finds Exoskeletons Improve 4 Mobility Measures in Cerebral Palsy
Updated
Updated · The Conversation · Jun 3
Review of 21 Studies Finds Exoskeletons Improve 4 Mobility Measures in Cerebral Palsy
3 articles · Updated · The Conversation · Jun 3
Summary
Twenty-one studies covering 241 people with cerebral palsy found wearable overground exoskeleton therapy beat conventional physiotherapy on walking speed, endurance, balance and high-level mobility.
The systematic review, published in Disability and Rehabilitation, focused on mostly children — average age 9 — and found only minor skin irritation, with generally positive user feedback where it was reported.
Evidence was thinner beyond those four outcomes: data were insufficient or inconsistent for strength, quality of life, participation and other measures, and few studies checked whether gains lasted after therapy ended.
Only 7 adults were represented, and no study directly compared exoskeletons with bodyweight-supported treadmill training, limiting how broadly the findings can guide treatment choices.
The review lands as Australia’s NDIS advisory committee examines robot-assisted gait training, with exoskeleton sessions already fundable in some cases but personal devices still unfunded.