Regions Hospital and ReWalk Robotics give patients with spinal cord injuries the chance to walk again
New exoskeleton clinic at Regions Hospital is the first of its kind in Minnesota.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – July 24 – Regions Hospital’s Rehabilitation Institute is partnering with ReWalk Robotics to help paraplegic patients walk again. The monthly Exoskeleton Clinic gives patients the opportunity to try a new wearable device that provides powered hip and knee motion to enable individuals with spinal cord injuries to stand upright and walk. The ReWalk system is the first device of its kind that is FDA-approved for use in the home and community.
Regions Hospital’s Rehabilitation Institute is dedicated to providing innovative care that integrates technology with clinical expertise.
“By collaborating with the ReWalk team to bring the exoskeleton system to Regions Hospital, we’re able to provide this state-of-the-art technology to the patients in our community,” says Steven Jackson, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with HealthPartners and Regions Hospital. “Imagine what it’s like for our patients to stand for the first time in months or even years. In many ways, the psychological benefits are just as great as the physical benefits.”
Clinical studies of the ReWalk system have shown several potential health benefits for the user, including reduction of needed medication, increase in lean muscle mass, decreased body fat and improved pain management.
ReWalk manufactures two exoskeleton systems, a rehabilitation model designed for clinical use, and a personal system which can be used by individuals for home use. A monthly clinic at Regions Hospital allows patients to test the personal system under the guidance of the Rehabilitation Institute’s trained physical therapists.
About Regions Hospital
Regions Hospital is part of HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed, non-profit health care organization in the nation with a mission to improve health and well-being in partnership with members, patients and the community. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 140 years. As a private, nonprofit teaching hospital, Regions Hospital provides outstanding care in women’s health, cardiology, oncology, surgery, orthopaedics, neuroscience, burn, emergency care, mental illness and more. For more information, visit regionshospital.com.
About ReWalk Robotics Ltd.
ReWalk Robotics (formerly Argo Medical Technologies) develops, manufactures and markets wearable robotic exoskeletons for people with lower limb disabilities, such as paraplegia. ReWalk’s mission is to fundamentally change the health and life experiences of individuals with spinal cord injury. ReWalk is proud to offer the only FDA cleared exoskeleton systems in the United States, for rehab and personal use respectively. Founded in 2001, ReWalk Robotics is a global company with headquarters in the US, Germany, and Israel. For more information on ReWalk Robotics and the ReWalk Systems, visit rewalk.com.