Lifeward Study Shows Significant Improvements with ReWalk Exoskeleton
News related to:Lifeward Ltd · 2 min read
Lifeward, a global innovator in medical technologies, has announced the publication of a landmark independent study that highlights significant improvements in the daily lives of individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries (SCI) who use the ReWalk personal exoskeleton.
The study involved 12 participants with paraplegia due to chronic SCI, who were evaluated on their ability to perform both activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in their homes while using the ReWalk exoskeleton. The participants successfully performed kitchen tasks and 10 out of 12 performed grooming tasks, indicating the exoskeleton's practical utility in everyday life.
Researchers used established measures to assess the participants' performance and satisfaction. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) evaluated the participants' perceived ability to perform daily activities and their satisfaction with that performance. The Reintegration to Normal Living Index-modified (RNLI-M) assessed the importance of performing ADLs and IADLs while using the exoskeleton. Pain during exoskeleton use versus wheelchair use was evaluated using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). The study also assessed changes in bowel and bladder function and barriers to exoskeleton use.
Key findings from the study include: - Significant improvement in participants' perceived ability to perform daily activities, as measured by COPM performance scores (P=.008). - Significant improvement in satisfaction with their performance of those activities, as measured by COPM satisfaction scores (P=.003). - Significant improvement on the RNLI-M measure assessing the importance of completing ADLs and IADLs using the exoskeleton (P=.04). - Significantly lower reported pain while using the exoskeleton compared with wheelchair use, as measured by the NPRS (P=.01). - All 12 participants performed kitchen tasks and 10 performed grooming tasks while using the exoskeleton. - 8 out of 12 participants reported improvements in bowel and bladder function.
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The study's results provide meaningful additional evidence regarding the potential functional benefits of personal exoskeleton technology. Lifeward continues to expand commercial access to ReWalk, with sales increasing 13% year-over-year to $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2026, contributing to a 16% increase in total Lifeward revenue to $6.6 million. The company is also broadening its distribution network, including a pilot with Ottobock Care, a leading U.S. mobility technology patient care organization, to further increase access to ReWalk.
Lifeward's Chief Executive Officer, Josh Hexter, stated, "Peer-reviewed evidence of ReWalk's real-world benefits can play an important role in expanding adoption. As we broaden access through our expanding distribution network, this evidence can help clinicians, patients, and payers understand ReWalk's clinical value and support continued sales growth."
The publication of this study adds to the growing body of clinical evidence supporting the use of ReWalk as a valuable tool for individuals with chronic SCI. The results suggest that personal exoskeleton use at home may enable individuals with paraplegia to perform selected ADLs and IADLs while standing, leading to improved perceived performance and satisfaction, lower pain during device use, and reported improvements in bowel and bladder function.