Veterans Affairs Northeast Ohio Healthcare System Receives Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Exoskeleton from SoldierStrong

CLEVELAND, Sept. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SoldierStrong, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing revolutionary medical technologies to help injured veterans lead full lives, donated an Indego Therapy exoskeleton to VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System today.

Since SoldierStrong's inception following the tragic events of 9/11, the Stamford, Conn.-based group has donated more than $3 million of medical devices to help injured veterans. Today's donation is the organization’s 22^nd exoskeleton donation, including the 18^th one to the VA system.

Martin Kilbane, Supervisor of Rehabilitation Therapies Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders Center, noted that the system currently has a different exoskeleton model in use.

"The donation of this type of device allows us to have more device options for our Veterans who meet the medical clearance and FDA criteria to allow for robotic assisted ambulation post spinal cord injury," Kilbane said. "When a patient takes his or her first steps. In some instances, the ability to ambulate in these devices can be life changing.”

SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek said the organization's goal to help as many veterans as possible was a significant factor in the local donation.

"VA Northeast Ohio provides comprehensive, seamless health care for more than 112,000 veterans across its region, including too many who have experienced spinal injuries either in service to our country or another situation," Meek said. "Our donations to other medical centers across the country have shown us that early rehabilitation therapy with an exoskeleton can make a lasting difference in the physical, mental and emotional recovery for patients," Meek said. "We're thrilled to help make that difference here, too."

The Therapy+ software suite, included with each Indego Therapy device, incorporates control algorithms based on proven motor learning principles and allows for an individualized, patient-centric training approach where the device responds to a patient’s active contribution and assists in gait only when necessary. Additionally, therapists have a range of customizable settings within the Therapy+ software suite which allow them to further tailor the behavior of the system to specific impairment and gait needs.

“Our veterans deserve the very best medical care available, and we are incredibly proud to see SoldierStrong and the VA Northeast Ohio Health Care System adding Indego to the range of treatment options accessible to their patients,” Achilleas Dorotheou, head of the human motion and control business unit for Parker Hannifin, in a release from the company. “Combined with our Therapy+ software suite, Indego is becoming an integral tool for clinicians to provide individualized gait therapy sessions to stroke and spinal cord injury patients, and providing a new level of independence.”

About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong, previously known as SoldierSocks, helps American patriots literally take their next steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful. For more information, visit: https://www.soldierstrong.org/

About the VA Cleveland Healthcare System
Focusing on treating the whole veteran through health promotion and disease prevention, VA provides comprehensive, seamless health care and social services for 112,589 veterans across Northeast Ohio. With 18 locations of care, including 13 outpatient clinics, two community resource and referral centers, a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center, a chronic dialysis center and an outpatient surgery center, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System’s quality services are easily accessible to Veterans in 21 counties. VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System contributes to the future of medicine through education, training, and research programs.  We are committed to delivering the highest quality and safest health care to our nation’s Veterans. VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is part of Veterans Integrated Service Network 10 (VISN 10), which includes 10 VA Healthcare Systems, the independent Columbus, Ohio Ambulatory Care clinic and a network of 63 VA Outpatient Clinics that provides care to more than 685,000 Veterans throughout the lower peninsula of Michigan, Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Indiana. For more information, visit: https://www.cleveland.va.gov/about/index.asp

CONTACT:
Eric Woolson
(515) 681-3967