An article in Mirage News caught my eye today. Could a robiotic ‘backpack’ replace opioids to relieve lower back pain? So, do you swallow another pill or wear something instead?
Mirage News wrote that sixteen million Americans-8 percent of the adult population-suffer persistent back pain. Many more visit their doctor for the occasional twinge. According to a 2018 study in JAMA, low back pain is one of the most common reasons given for prescribing opioids. That’s fueling the opioid crisis-and there’s little evidence the powerful painkillers even help.
Lou Awad, a Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences assistant professor of physical therapy says that the solution, might not be a pill you swallow-it might be something you wear. Awad researches and develops robotic apparel, battery-powered exosuits that make mobility and movement easier for patients who have had a stroke.
A major clinical trial has shown…
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