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Freedom Found From WalkAide Technology

Do you depend on your mobile phone to keep you in touch with your family? Does your electronic calendar keep you organized and on time?

There is little doubt that technology has dramatically changed how we work, how we communicate information, and how we connect socially. For many people with disabilities technology is much more than access to the Internet or expertise with a computer. New technology, in the form of communication tools and assistive devices, enables a person with a disability to be an independent and active citizen in his or her world. While there are still many physical, attitudinal, and social barriers that exist for people with disabilities, it is clear that technology can alter lives in dramatic and positive ways.

WalkAide is one such life-changing technology that treats drop-foot, a condition where a person drops a foot when walking. The device merges the best of orthotics with technology that restores control of the foot by using electrical stimulation to re-create a “natural” nerve-to-nerve response. WalkAide uses a sensor to monitor the movement of the affected leg during walking while, at the same time, the computer software (called Walk Analyst) controls the timing of the stimulation. The device is also specifically programmed to meet the needs of each individual client.

Developed by Dr. Richard Stein, a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Alberta, WalkAide offers increased mobility and independence to users with multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, cerebral palsy, or conditions associated with stroke. The Orthotics staff at the Abilities Council began fitting the WalkAide system for clients with such disabilities in 2008.

Judy Larsen, who has MS, has used WalkAide since December. While it is difficult for her to adequately put into words the profound difference this technology has made to her life, she says, 

“You do not know what you have until you have lost it. WalkAide gives me back the freedom I had lost. I can work long shifts. I can go for a walk, shop, go out with friends. It is like I have a little of my humanity back.”

Many assistive technologies have the power to alter the lives of people with disabilities in fundamentally constructive ways. As technology advances in ways that foster better accessibility, we will see more success stories like Judy’s.