THE PROBLEM
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. One of the critical risk factors that contribute to these injuries, especially in older adults with underlying comorbidities such as cerebrovascular disease, is a condition known as foot drop, which is an inability to raise the foot during activities of daily life such as walking. This causes the toes to drag on the ground, which significantly increases the chances of falling. Not surprisingly, nearly 70% of stroke survivors suffer falls-related fractures in the first year alone.
5,000,000
stroke survivors
800,000
new strokes per year
30%
suffer from foot drop
THE PROBLEM
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. One of the critical risk factors that contribute to these injuries, especially in older adults with underlying comorbidities such as cerebrovascular disease, is a condition known as foot drop, which is an inability to raise the foot during activities of daily life such as walking. This causes the toes to drag on the ground, which significantly increases the chances of falling. Not surprisingly, nearly 70% of stroke survivors suffer falls-related fractures in the first year alone.
5,000,000
stroke survivors
800,000
new strokes per year
30%
suffer from foot drop
THE PROBLEM
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. One of the critical risk factors that contribute to these injuries, especially in older adults with underlying comorbidities such as cerebrovascular disease, is a condition known as foot drop, which is an inability to raise the foot during activities of daily life such as walking. This causes the toes to drag on the ground, which significantly increases the chances of falling. Not surprisingly, nearly 70% of stroke survivors suffer falls-related fractures in the first year alone.
5,000,000
stroke survivors
800,000
new strokes per year
30%
suffer from foot drop
THE SOLUTION
For years, the only solution to mitigate foot drop were rigid leg braces with shoe inserts, called ankle-foot orthotics, combined with intense physical therapy. NextStep Robotics has created a cutting-edge solution by developing a portable ankle robot (AMBLE) to alleviate and in some cases, treat foot drop. Combined with state-of-art software embedding intelligent algorithms, this is the first-ever clinically proven option to durably reduce the devastating impacts of foot drop, by providing safe and gentle assistance for each step. Our device is designed for use under supervision of physical therapists in rehabilitation settings. This novel robotic device leverages neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to relearn new tasks with practice, to positively affect not just the impaired ankle but also over time, normalize the patients’ gait patterns. This increases their active participation at home and in community settings towards a better quality of life.
THE SOLUTION
For years, the only solution to mitigate foot drop were rigid leg braces with shoe inserts, called ankle-foot orthotics, combined with intense physical therapy. NextStep Robotics has created a cutting-edge solution by developing a portable ankle robot (AMBLE) to alleviate and in some cases, treat foot drop. Combined with state-of-art software embedding intelligent algorithms, this is the first-ever clinically proven option to durably reduce the devastating impacts of foot drop, by providing safe and gentle assistance for each step. Our device is designed for use under supervision of physical therapists in rehabilitation settings. This novel robotic device leverages neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to relearn new tasks with practice, to positively affect not just the impaired ankle but also over time, normalize the patients’ gait patterns. This increases their active participation at home and in community settings towards a better quality of life.
OUR PURPOSE
NextStep Robotics has a clear purpose, which is to combine robotics and information technology to prevent falls and falls-related injuries that are due to foot drop. Our purpose is achieved by improving voluntary control of the affected ankle. Our signature device, the AMBLE, is designed to provide step-by-step graded assistance that over time, is progressively reduced as the patient’s foot drop severity improves. Unlike substitutive devices like prostheses, our device is intended to alleviate the workload of physical therapists while maximizing mobility outcomes for patients with foot drop.
INJURY PREVENTION
The NextStep Robotics’ device, AMBLE, acts as a digital gait trainer that accurately detects key events during each step such as toe off, to provide graded foot-lift assistance while making customized, performance-based adjustments for subsequent steps. Prior clinical data shows that this approach over time, teaches the affected ankle to autonomously clear the floor during walking, which results in 85% of patients with foot drop to self-discard assistive devices such as canes, or downgrade to less assistive devices. Over time, patients are able to return to their natural gait and thus participate in home and community activities of daily life with fewer falls or falls-related injuries.
BETTER OUTCOMES
In a small initial study with the Baltimore Veterans Administration, eighty-five percent of NextStep Robotics device users self-discarded their assistive device, meaning boots, canes, or walkers. The logical progression is to transition the robotic training protocol into an artificial intelligence-based system that will customize robotic therapy as per the ongoing needs of each patient. This process is facilitated by a unique Robot Report Card that consists of key ankle outcomes to quantify recovery and is generated at the end of each therapy session. These are clear indications that NextStep Robotics’ innovative, evidence-based robotic solution to foot drop has the potential to be a game-changer in the field of neurologic and orthopedic rehabilitation.
INJURY PREVENTION
The NextStep Robotics’ device, AMBLE, acts as a digital gait trainer that accurately detects key events during each step such as toe off, to provide graded foot-lift assistance while making customized, performance-based adjustments for subsequent steps. Prior clinical data shows that this approach over time, teaches the affected ankle to autonomously clear the floor during walking, which results in 85% of patients with foot drop to self-discard assistive devices such as canes, or downgrade to less assistive devices. Over time, patients are able to return to their natural gait and thus participate in home and community activities of daily life with fewer falls or falls-related injuries.
BETTER OUTCOMES
In a small initial study with the Baltimore Veterans Administration, eighty-five percent of NextStep Robotics device users self-discarded their assistive device, meaning boots, canes, or walkers. The logical progression is to transition the robotic training protocol into an artificial intelligence-based system that will customize robotic therapy as per the ongoing needs of each patient. This process is facilitated by a unique Robot Report Card that consists of key ankle outcomes to quantify recovery and is generated at the end of each therapy session. These are clear indications that NextStep Robotics’ innovative, evidence-based robotic solution to foot drop has the potential to be a game-changer in the field of neurologic and orthopedic rehabilitation.
For Providers and Patients
NextStep Robotics’ groundbreaking device is designed to durably improve ankle function and restore mobility in patients recovering from a disabling brain injuries such as stroke or Multiple Sclerosis. Further, the device’s quick don-doff times and ease of use of reduces the workload on physical therapists and care providers, enabling them to spend more time on interaction with patients and less time on device management.
For Providers and Patients
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. One of the critical risk factors that contribute to these injuries, especially in older adults with underlying comorbidities such as cerebrovascular disease, is a condition known as foot drop, which is an inability to raise the foot during activities of daily life such as walking. This causes the toes to drag on the ground, which significantly increases the chances of falling. Not surprisingly, nearly 70% of stroke survivors suffer falls-related fractures in the first year alone.
For Providers and Patients
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. One of the critical risk factors that contribute to these injuries, especially in older adults with underlying comorbidities such as cerebrovascular disease, is a condition known as foot drop, which is an inability to raise the foot during activities of daily life such as walking. This causes the toes to drag on the ground, which significantly increases the chances of falling. Not surprisingly, nearly 70% of stroke survivors suffer falls-related fractures in the first year alone.