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" Technology is the future of rehabilitation for people recovering from physical disabilities, particularly those following spinal cord injuries and stroke. Recent technological advances in our field are merely the beginning of empowering these patients with the tools they need to gain better control of their world." JENNIFER SEMEL, MD, PHYSIATRIST, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION AT ST. CHARLES HOSPITAL and overall health and quality of life for paraplegic patients who have sustained spinal cord injuries. Through electrodes that attach to the patient's calf muscles, electrical impulses stimulate the muscles in the leg, allowing the patient to pedal. More recent ly, Dr. Semel a nd her tea m utilized two electrica l stimula- tion devices recommended for patients who have suered a stroke. The first is a noninva sive ha nd rehabilitation device designed for patients who have lost ha nd mobi lit y a nd f unction due to neurolog ica l disorders, including cerebra l palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke or TBI, helping them carr y out activities of daily living they previously couldn't. The second employs electri- ca l stimu lation to a ssist patients in per forming coordinated movements of the hand, helping them regain more natura l function. In addition, St. Cha rles Hospita l's Physica l Medicine and Rehabilitation team has employed an award-winning rehabi l it at ive appl ia nce creat ed t o en ha nce the out- comes and lives of t hose s t r u g g l i n g with life-limiting conditions a ect- i n g t h e l o w e r ex tremities, such as cerebra l pa lsy, MS, stroke or TBI. Led by Dr. Semel, S t . C h a r l e s Hospita l was one of t he f i r s t sit es in the U.S. to oer t h i s t h e r a p y i n a c l i n i c a l t r i a l capacity, prima r- i l y u s i n g t h e technolog y to help improve function i n pat ient s w it h foot drop following stroke. The system distributes electri- ca l stimulation to the leg, activating leg a nd foot muscles that have been adversely aected by stroke or injur y, thereby enabling the patient to per- form controlled movements. Over time, exercises with the device streng then muscles that have become weak, curtail muscle spasms, increase blood flow to the area and enhance the patient's range of motion. Patients using the device have the potentia l to wa lk with a corrected gait, thereby minimizing or phasing out the need to use a plastic brace. INNOVATION ON THE HORIZON As part of the hospital's strategic plan to continue to invest in technologies that improve patient outcomes, St. Charles Hospita l, in November 2016, beca me one of just nine centers in the country to participate in a multicenter clinica l tria l of a new rehabilitative therapy, Indego. Indego is a mechanized lower Greg Durso, a paralyzed patient, waits for the therapist to bring a walker, which he will use for balance when he begins to stand while wearing St. Charles Hospital's FDA-approved exoskeleton. Greg's weight shifts help signal the robotic frame that he is ready to stand, and begin or stop the walking motion. Specially trained St. Charles Hospital physical therapists assemble the hospital's FDA-approved exoskeleton prior to each therapy session and ensure it is fitted properly. The exoskeleton model purchased by St. Charles Hospital is a streamlined version, weighing 26 pounds. 0 7 M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 017