Why Must Charging Cables Be Completely Disconnected From Shoe-Mounted Sensors? Ensuring Safe Patient Neurorehabilitation

Patient safety is the immediate priority. You must completely disconnect charging cables from shoe-mounted sensors to prevent severe tripping hazards and restricted movement. Attempting to walk while tethered creates a physical barrier that endangers the patient and halts the transition from static charging to active, dynamic therapy.

The presence of a connected charging cable during walking tasks creates an unavoidable tripping risk. Complete physical disconnection is the only way to ensure the safety of the patient and the integrity of the neurorehabilitation process.

The Critical Importance of Disconnection

Preventing Falls and Injury

The most urgent reason for disconnecting cables is physical safety.

If a patient attempts to walk while shoe-mounted sensors are still tethered to a power source, the risk of tripping is extremely high. In a neurorehabilitation context, where patients may already have compromised balance or gait, adding a physical tether can lead to serious falls.

Ensuring Unrestricted Movement

Effective therapy requires natural, unimpeded motion.

Cables attached to shoes physically restrict the range of motion and alter the patient's gait. To transition successfully from a static mode to a dynamic therapeutic mode, the patient must be free of all external physical constraints.

Understanding the Operational Risks

The Consequence of Incomplete Setup

It is a common operational pitfall to overlook the physical state of the hardware before beginning software tasks.

Failing to disconnect the cables does not just risk injury; it compromises the "integrity of the neurorehabilitation process." If movement is restricted by a cable, the therapy session is fundamentally flawed before it begins.

The Static to Dynamic Transition

The workflow depends on a clear separation of states.

The system is designed to operate in two distinct modes: static charging and dynamic therapy. The physical act of disconnection serves as the mandatory bridge between these two states, signaling that the equipment—and the patient—is ready for activity.

Ensuring a Safe Rehabilitation Environment

Before initiating any walking protocol, follow this guide to prioritize safety and data integrity:

If your primary focus is Patient Safety: Visually and physically verify that all cables are removed from the shoe area to eliminate tripping hazards.
If your primary focus is Therapy Integrity: Ensure total disconnection to allow for natural, unrestricted gait patterns during the session.

A strictly cable-free environment is the baseline requirement for safe and effective neurorehabilitation.

Summary Table:

Key Factor	Risk of Connected Cables	Benefit of Disconnection
Patient Safety	High tripping hazard and fall risk	Eliminates physical barriers and hazards
Gait Quality	Restricted motion and altered gait	Allows natural, unimpeded movement
System State	Stuck in static charging mode	Enables transition to dynamic therapy
Data Integrity	Flawed results due to tethering	Accurate assessment of neuro-recovery

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References

Kirsten Smayda, Annamaria Dobrin. Validating the Safe and Effective Use of a Neurorehabilitation System (InTandem) to Improve Walking in the Chronic Stroke Population: Usability Study. DOI: 10.2196/50438

This article is also based on technical information from 3515 Knowledge Base .