Spasticity affects around a third of all stroke survivors and can severely impact quality of life.
Painful muscle spasms, stiffness in the limbs, curled toes and overactive reflexes can all affect mobility, forcing those affected to adapt their movements and lifestyles.
Spasticity can also prevent the joint from being fully bent or straightened.
Drugs such as baclofen and tizanidine can be effective at reducing spasticity but side-effects are common.
The Exopulse Mollii Suit is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological assistive device designed to reduce spasticity in adults and children.
The suit consists of a jacket and trousers with a detachable control unit and is the first electrically-powered neuromodulation suit on the market.
The suit can be preloaded with a programme based on the patient’s diagnosis or tailored to their individual needs.
Founded in 1919, Ottobock manufactures prosthetic limbs, orthotic supports and wheelchairs to help its clients live full, independent lives.
Amy treats patients, runs clinics and provides education and training on orthotic devices.
She explains how the Exopulse Mollii Suit works.
“The Exopulse Mollii Suit reduces spasticity (muscle tone) and facilitates weak muscle activation through the use of neuromodulation, both of which lead to the positive effects obtained in clinical studies on range-of-motion, balance, hand-arm functions, and gait.
“Neuromodulation acts directly upon the nerves. And so it alters or modulates nerve activity by delivering electrical agents to the targeted area.
“It has 58 embedded electrodes that work over 40 muscle groups. And you can programme each of those individually.”
The Exopulse Mollii Suit works in a similar way to a Functional Electrical Stimulation or FES device.
There are countless FES devices on the market for stroke-related conditions such as drop foot, including the L3OO Go, also distributed by Ottobock.
“In that case, you’re doing the opposite. You’re trying to trigger a movement in the weakened muscle,” Amy explains.
“In the Exopulse Mollii Suit, if we have a muscle with spasticity, we’re trying to activate the antagonistic muscle, i.e. the opposite muscle, to get the spastic muscle to relax.”
The suit is prescribed to patients to use at home for an hour every two days and users experience results instantly, with the effect carrying forward.
Client video testimonials show just how transformative the Exopulse Mollii Suit can be.
Ottobock client Maja suffered a stroke at 44-years-old, resulting in left-sided paralysis and severe spasticity in her arm and leg.
The Exopulse Mollii suit has enabled her to walk more safely and steadily, with the effects clear for all to see. She has also been able to return to work.
Maja is just one of countless Ottobock clients to have experienced these live-changing effects.
Amy says:
“If you look at some of the before and after videos, the results are phenomenal. Even for simple things.
“One of the things we sometimes get patients to do is to touch their fingers to their thumb.
“If you’ve got spasticity, that can be a really, really challenging to do. So things like picking up a cup are really difficult.
“To be able to give them back that ease of movement is huge.”
The Mollii Suit is backed by numerous studies for conditions ranging from stroke and cerebral palsy to chronic pain and MS.
Recent, independent clinical studies have demonstrated improvements in spasticity, uncontrolled movements, muscle tension, muscle weakness, pain and fatigue.
In 2020, a prospective study of 20 adults living with hemiplegia, spasticity and functional weakness from stroke found Mollii Suit to ‘decrease spasticity significantly and improve sensorimotor function over the course of the study.’
Now, studies from Europe and elsewhere may help further cement Mollii Suit’s reputation.
Amy says:
“We’re seeing more of that clinical research, which is exactly what we need, especially when we’re such an evidence based society.
“We love to see that it has such a positive effect. So there’s lots going on, which is really exciting.”
While Exopulse Mollii Suit is only available privately right now, this growing body of evidence could one day support prescribing on the NHS.
But for now, Amy is focused on raising the profile on the Exopulse Mollii Suit and getting as many people to try it as possible and experience the effects for themselves.
Amy says:
“We get to see some incredible results with Exopulse Mollii Suit and Ottobock have a lot invested in research and development.
“There’s continual research and development going on with all of our products.”
This is an excerpt from our Special Report – Innovations in Stroke
