Beyond the Plateau: DREEVEN for Post-Stroke Mobility

Many stroke survivors with chronic hemiparesis reach a plateau in conventional rehabilitation, often left with persistent compensatory movement patterns such as hip circumduction, hip hiking, and reduced knee torque. Standard AFOs can help support these compensations, but typically don’t allow for true independence. DREEVEN, an electro-hydraulically powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis, is being researched for its ability to actively track a patient’s personalized gait pattern and intelligently deliver power based on real-time movement needs. 

In a case series conducted with the BU Neuromotor Recovery Lab, participants using DREEVEN showed a 9.8% improvement in knee torque during walking, an 83.1% reduction in hip hiking, and a 24.6% improvement in gait symmetry while using the device (n=5); these findings are preliminary and based on a small, early-stage cohort, with broader clinical validation ongoing

This July, DREEVEN begins its pivotal clinical study, in collaboration with Encompass Health and Whittier Health Network, exploring its ability to support mobility and autonomous movement by assessing performance in everyday functional activities, including walking on flat and uneven surfaces, navigating stairs, and completing sit-to-stand transfers, both in clinic and through home-based monitoring as participants move through daily life. The study uses DREEVEN’s newest B3 model, a lighter design that allows participants to don and doff the device independently with one hand. Research through the REEV-Neuromotor Recovery Lab partnership continues to inform DREEVEN’s development as it advances toward FDA clearance.