USF Associate Professor Contributes to a New Study for Stroke Patients

 

USF Health School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Associate Professor, Dr. Seok Hun Kim, contributes to the advancement of patient care through the creation of a new portable device called Gait Enhancing Mobile Shoe (GEMS). Dr. Kim partners with other members within USF Departments of Engineering and Neurology in establishing this mechanism, while conducting research on its effectiveness in mild stroke survivors. GEMS is a shoe attachment that provides accelerated forward motion when walking to help stroke patients improve gait stability. In the USF Health School of Physical Therapy, Dr. Kim often conducts similar research studies with the use of a split belt treadmill to achieve the same objective. According to Dr. Kim, “The GEMS allows movement across any safe surface, thus ‘rewiring’ the brain to learn the new compensation technique for everyday walking, not just for when they are on the treadmill.” While the GEMS is currently in the preliminary stages of research, if determined to be effective, it will provide greater convenience and mobility to stroke patients by allowing them the flexibility of wearing it at home.