High-Tech Devices Give Patients a Second Chance


Rehabilitation technologies at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation give patients with conditions like stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis a second chance at recovery.

Bionic legs, electrical stimulation and a wearable robotic “skeleton” may sound like science fiction, but these rehabilitation technologies are giving patients with conditions like stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis a second chance at recovery at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation.

“These technologies help patients function and feel better,” says Sue Golden, PT, director of Neurorehabilitation. All three devices, part of the Second Chance Rehabilitation Program, help patients who completed therapy for a neurological problem years ago by improving function and quality of life. They can also be used to treat recent neurological problems.

AlterG Bionic Leg (formerly Tibion Bionic Leg)

  • Helps improve walking and balance
  • Used mostly for stroke and multiple sclerosis patients during therapy, as well as for traumatic brain injury patients
  • A robotic device worn on the affected leg and programmed to match the capabilities of the unaffected leg in standing, walking and climbing stairs

Bioness NESS L300 Foot Drop System

  • Helps with “foot drop,” a partial leg paralysis that prevents complete lifting of the foot when walking
  • Used mostly for stroke or multiple sclerosis patients during therapy or as a functional orthotic
  • Delivers low-level electrical stimulation to nerves and muscles that lift the foot

Ekso Bionic Exoskeleton

  • A wearable robotic device that allows people with lower extremity paralysis or weakness to stand up and walk
  • Good Shepherd Rehabilitation was one of 10 centers nationwide that participated in testing the Ekso bionic exoskeleton.

As of March 2012, Good Shepherd owns an Ekso and uses it in therapy for patients with spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis. “Patients with neurological disorders should never give up,” says Golden. “More devices are in development that will help provide a second chance.”

Call 1-888-44-REHAB (73422) for more information.