Saskia Baltrusch

40 Chapter 2 5 Conclusion The findings presented in this study suggest many implications for design of an exoskeleton, which can be used in future developments. The major issues offering guidance for improvements in future designs, are comfort, adjustability to the body, independence in putting it on and taking it off, and gradual adjustment of support. To deal with the main concerns such as loss of muscle strength, dependency and adapted movement behavior, an adequate implementation strategy is essential, including supervision and behavioral coaching. Furthermore, the optimal field of application is still under debate. Considering that healthcare professionals bear the responsibility of implementing it when used in rehabilitation, but see greater potential in the vocational reintegration or as preventive measure in the work environment, it is less likely that a spinal assistive device will find its way into the clinical rehabilitation environment.