@Article{info:doi/10.2196/41242,
author="Madeleine, Pascal
and Christensen, Daniel J R
and Franch, Jesper
and Svendsen, Lone
and Hansen, Ernst A
and Hostrup, Hanne
and Pirscoveanu, Cristina-Ioana",
title="Exoskeletons in the Digital Era: A Way to Improve the Level of Physical Activity Among Older Citizens",
journal="iproc",
year="2023",
month="Feb",
day="15",
volume="9",
pages="e41242",
keywords="gait; ageing; walking aid",
abstract="Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the level of physical activity among older citizens. Objective: The aim of this short paper is to set focus on the potential benefits of assistive walking devices for older citizens. Methods: In this feasibility study, 24 older citizens aged >65 years participated in the study. The participants answered to the following questionnaires after fulfilling a consent form: Tilburg Frailty Indicator, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and Quality of Life. Then, physiological and biomechanical assessments were made in a laboratory setting with and without wearing an exoskeleton (aLQ, IMASEN Electrical Industrial Co). The aLQ is a passive-assistive lower-limb walking exoskeleton activated by a cam spring system designed to improve gait. After the tests, the participants were asked to answer the following questions: ``Do you feel the exoskeleton is helping you to walk?'' and ``What is your opinion on the device?''. Results: The participants were community-dwelling older individuals, aged 72.6 (SD 4.5) years, and were characterized by an overall high level of physical activity of 3069 (SD 2847) metabolic equivalent--minutes per week. Their Tilburg Frailty Indicator indicated an overall frailty score of 3.5 (SD 2.5). The participants reported a Quality of Life score of 6.7 (SD 1.6) and an overall health score of 76.4 (SD 17.1). Moreover, of the 24 participants, 7 (29{\%}) reported that carrying the tested exoskeleton did not induce any noticeable changes, and 3 (10{\%}) reported that they walked better with the device than without. Conclusions: These findings are of importance in our current digital era where the COVID-19 pandemic forced municipalities and hospitals to cancel or postpone the training and rehabilitation of older citizens, resulting in a degradation of the level of physical activity and health in general. The use of assistive walking devices can be a way to improve or maintain their level of physical activity. Future studies using a prospective design should confirm that. Conflicts of Interest: None declared. ",
issn="2369-6893",
doi="10.2196/41242",
url="https://www.iproc.org/2023/1/e41242",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/41242"
}