OBIO® supports Trexo Robotics to Help Young Patients Walk at McMaster Children’s Hospital

TORONTO — In North America, 250,000 children are unable to walk due to central nervous system injuries or neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy. An effective physical therapy for children with injuries or disabilities affecting their motor skills requires an innovative solution that can build muscle memory and stimulate neuroplasticity.

With support from OBIO®, Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) McMaster Children’s Hospital has a new tool, the Trexo Plus, designed by Mississauga-based Trexo Robotics, to support patients needing pediatric rehabilitation. The adoption of this innovative technology was made possible through funding from Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation, alongside support from OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence. The aim is to understand the benefits of the Trexo Plus device on pediatric patients with mobility-related injury or disabilities receiving care at the hospital’s Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre.

The Trexo Plus robotic legs allow children to walk with the postural support they need. The device may allow many patients to walk independently for the first time.

Trexo Plus was adopted with the support of OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence after a successful evaluation was completed at Alberta Health Services through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) program. EAHN™ is supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and LSCTC is supported by the Government of Ontario.

said Manmeet Maggu, CEO and Co-founder of Trexo Robotics.

said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

The availability of this new robotic leg will contribute to enhancing pediatric physical therapy plans and help teams deliver care more effectively and efficiently.

Most importantly, it will allow children with mobility challenges to realize the benefits that come with walking. Typically, these benefits are better sleep, improved motility, increased confidence, weight control, and greater strength and endurance.

said Dr. Marc Jeschke, Vice President of Research and Innovation, HHS.

This partnership brings together cutting-edge Canadian innovation and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children. As the Trexo Plus begins its journey at McMaster Children’s Hospital, families and clinicians alike will be watching, and walking, towards a more mobile future.

said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®.

Trexo began with one uncle’s determination to help his nephew Praneit take his first steps. Manmeet Maggu and his co-founder, Rahul Udasi, built the first Trexo for Praneit, a device he still uses today. What started as a personal mission became a business fueled by the belief that every kiddo who wants to walk, should be able to. “It was never about the technology,” said Maggu. “It was always about the health, smiles, and joy. It’s about the determination kiddos show every time they take a step. The story has always been about them,” Maggu said. Today, thanks to a growing community of supporters, children using Trexo, both at home and in clinics, have taken over 123 million steps. That’s the equivalent of walking around the Earth more than five times. And they’re just getting started. Learn more about Trexo here or visit Instagram or LinkedIn.

Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) has been providing comprehensive care to children from across South-Central Ontario since 1988. Here, patients from infancy to 17 receive care through a family-centred approach that accounts for the child’s emotional, mental and physical well-being. The hospital is home to the fastest-growing kids-only emergency department in Ontario, Canada’s largest neonatal intensive care unit, and Ontario’s largest inpatient child and youth mental health unit. It offers a full range of programs and clinics with unique expertise in a number of areas including children’s cancer, digestive diseases, orthopedics, rehabilitation, neurosurgery and mental health. To learn more, visit: www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/mcmaster-childrens-hospital.