Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42116191›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2026

Exoskeleton frontal and sagittal plane hip torque improves propulsion and transient stability during walking in individuals with hemiparesis.

Dante Archangeli, Andrew Gunnell, Owen Winship, Yueshan Xiong, Lukas Gabert, Rosemarie Murray, Steven Edgley, K Bo Foreman, Tommaso Lenzi

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Dante ArchangeliDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
Andrew GunnellDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
Owen WinshipDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
Yueshan XiongDivision of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Lukas GabertDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
Rosemarie MurrayDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA. rosemarie.murray@utah.edu.
Steven EdgleyDirector of Stroke Rehabilitation, Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
K Bo ForemanDepartment of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
Tommaso LenziDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering, University of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.

Funding

Utah Center for Clinical and Translational ScienceUL1TR002538 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI HESS, RACHEL, MAJERSIK, JENNIFER JUHL · 2018 to 2022
$26.0M
National Science Foundation 2046287NCATS NIH HHS 1T32TR004394-01NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002538NIOSH CDC HHS T420H008414NIOSH CDC HHS T42 OH008414
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMillions of people around the world experience post-stroke hemiparesis, making it difficult to move one side of the body. Hemiparesis impairs an individual's muscle strength and coordination which limits gait speed, efficiency, and endurance and contributes to reduced community participation. These limitations in strength and control also negatively impact balance, leading to a high prevalence of instability, falls, and fall-related injuries. Assistive technologies like powered exoskeletons that apply torques to the hips in the sagittal plane (hip flexion and extension) and frontal plane (hip abduction and adduction) may benefit both gait efficiency and stability in hemiparetic populations.

methodsIn this study, we investigate the impact of exoskeleton-delivered frontal and sagittal plane hip torque in eight individuals with hemiparesis. Participants completed two-minute walking bouts on an instrumented treadmill with no exoskeleton, and then with the exoskeleton applying phase-based flexion and extension assistance. They then completed a series of abduction torque trials, in which they walked with the exoskeleton-supplied sagittal-plane assistance for 10 strides, and then sagittal-plane assistance and constant abduction torque for 10 strides. The abduction torque series consisted of four levels of abduction torque, each repeated 5 times, in random order.

resultsCompared to steady-state walking without the exoskeleton, the application of sagittal plane torques significantly increased propulsive forces at push-off for the non-paretic limb by 0.83 ± 0.32% BW (p = 0.0373) and had little impact on step width or margin of stability. In the transient period following onset, hip abduction torques significantly increased step width by 0.053 ± 0.011 m (adjusted p < 0.025) and margin of stability for the paretic and non-paretic limb by 0.039 ± 0.006 m (adjusted p < 0.025) and 0.014 ± 0.004 m (adjusted p = 0.01), respectively. These outcomes are correlated with the level of abduction assistance.

conclusionThese results provide initial evidence supporting the use of a hip exoskeleton to impact foot placement, margin of stability, and propulsion in individuals with hemiparesis, which may benefit both gait efficiency and stability.

Indexed as

Exoskeleton DeviceHipParesisPostural BalanceWalkingAdultAgedBiomechanical PhenomenaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTorqueBalanceExoskeletonGaitHemiparesisHipMobilityStabilityStroke

Identifiers

PMID42116191
PMCPMC13335367

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.