A Giant Step for
Stroke Patients
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke.
It’s a devastating condition that can have a lasting impact,
causing serious, long-term disability that requires months—or even
years—of rehabilitation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and older have dificulty
walking following the stroke, and face an arduous rehabilitation
process with mixed results. However, one Corridor-based research
team is working to change that with a revolutionary device—a
shoe.
Although the concept may sound simplistic, it’s anything but. The
shoe, which was developed by Tampa-based Moterum and a
team of researchers at the University of South Florida, is designed
to teach stroke patients to walk symmetrically again, but in a
shorter period of time and at a more affordable cost.
Current rehabilitation methods often include walking on a splitbelt treadmill, among other forms of treatment. While this method
of rehab can be successful, many patients can revert back