Gait Rehabilitation Systems Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Computer-assisted and Mechanical), By Patient Type (Adult and Pediatric), By End-user (Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers, and Others), and Regional Forecast 2024-2032

Gait rehabilitation, or gait training, is the learning act of walking either as a child or after sustaining an injury that can lead to disability. Gait rehabilitation systems are designed to help individuals improve their walking ability, balance, and posture, particularly after sustaining an injury or disability. These systems often involve advanced technology and can be used in both acute and subacute neurological rehabilitation settings. They may include body-weight support systems, harnesses, treadmills, and other mechanical devices to assist individuals in relearning and retraining their gait movements. Gait training is a complex process that requires coordinated movements of the entire body and relies on the proper functioning of the central nervous system.

The market growth for gait rehabilitation systems is attributed to the increasing use of these systems in a wide range of applications, including stroke rehabilitation, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, orthopedic injury rehabilitation, and Parkinson's disease rehabilitation. As a result, the increasing incidence of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis, significantly drives the demand for gait rehabilitation systems, which propels the market growth.

• For instance, according to Parkinson's Foundation, in January 2024, around 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease annually. It is estimated that people with Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. will reach to 1.2 million by 2030.

Moreover, the growing geriatric population might influence gait rehabilitation, as it increases the risk of several neurological or musculoskeletal disorders, leading to an increased adoption of gait training systems, thereby contributing to the market growth. Moreover, the increased focus of key players on the development of gait rehabilitation systems, considering the importance of gait training for patients with movement disorders, is anticipated to increase the availability and accessibility of these systems.

• For instance, according to World Health Organization (WHO), in July 2022, around 1.71 billion people have musculoskeletal conditions globally, which are the leading contributor to disability. This prevalence increases with aging and fuels the demand for gait rehabilitation systems to overcome disability.

In addition, the developing economies present high growth potential for the gait rehabilitation system providing numerous opportunities for start-up companies to increase investment and launch the gait rehabilitation systems in these countries, which is expected further to boost the growth of the gait rehabilitation system market.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the global market. During the COVID-19 outbreak, hospital visits were decreased for the treatment of a number of neurological, musculoskeletal, and orthopedic conditions. Hospital care utilization for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease considerably decreased, limiting the adoption of gait rehabilitation systems in hospitals.

Moreover, the number of patient visits decreased in rehabilitation centers as the rehabilitation sessions were postponed for several orthopedic conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, multi-trauma, and sports injuries.

• For instance, in September 2021, according to NCBI, the total number of outpatient visits to rehabilitation clinics in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia significantly decreased during the study period (January-August 2020) compared to the previous year.

However, the postponed rehabilitation procedures for orthopedic and neurological conditions were more frequently performed, which fueled the adoption of gait rehabilitation systems post-pandemic. In addition, patients with Parkinson’s disease need routine visits to the hospital for physical assessment by movement disorders specialists. Telemedicine played a crucial role in such assessments after the first half of the pandemic, which normalized the market growth thereafter.

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Prevalence of Key Diseases, By Key Countries/Regions, 2023


• Technological Advancements in Gait Rehabilitation Systems


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Others)


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

Segmentation

Analysis by Product Type

Based on product type, the computer-assisted gait rehabilitation systems segment is expected to hold a substantial share of the global market in the coming years. Computer-assisted gait rehabilitation systems, such as the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), offer several benefits for individuals undergoing rehabilitation. These systems provide physical and cognitive aid for those with multi-trauma, traumatic brain injury, and neurological conditions, enhancing balance, gait speed, fear of falling, and cognitive function. Additionally, the system can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual, from elderly persons needing balance training to top athletes recovering from injury. These multiple benefits associated with computer-assisted rehabilitation systems is expected to fuel the market growth.

The mechanical gait rehabilitation systems are expected to witness considerable growth during the projection period. These systems are designed to assist individuals with difficulty walking or maintaining proper gait due to various conditions, allowing for precise adjustments of the systems mechanically. As a result, they are being increasingly adopted in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers.

Regional Analysis

North America is anticipated to hold a significant share of the global gait rehabilitation systems market. This growth is primarily attributed to the rising number of sports injuries in countries such as the U.S. The rising number of orthopedic diseases and sports injuries leading to disability requires rehabilitation to gain a range of motions, which boosts the utilization of gait rehabilitation systems, thereby contributing to the regional market growth.

• For instance, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, in May 2023, the study titled "Epidemiology of Sports Injuries in the Group of High School Athletes in the U.S.” reported that approximately 5,228,791 sports injuries occurred nationally.

The Asia Pacific market is projected to expand at a considerable CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing disposable incomes of individuals in countries such as India and China, which contributes to increased investment in healthcare facilities, including gait rehabilitation systems. Moreover, the increasing awareness regarding gait training systems in the treatment of several neurological and orthopedic conditions is estimated to fuel the market growth in the region.

Key Players Covered

The report includes the profiles of gait rehabilitation systems market key players such as Zebris Medical GmbH, DIH Medical, PRODROMUS S.A., BAMA Teknoloji, Reha Technology AG, Hiwin Corporation, Etac AB, CSE Entertainment, and GaitBetter Inc.

Key Industry Developments

• In March 2023, HARMONIC BIONICS completed its first installation of Curexo, Inc.’s Morning Walk S200, an FDA-registered robotic gait rehabilitation system, at an inpatient rehabilitation center in the U.S.


• In January 2022, Clalit Health Services and GaitBetter Inc., in a partnership, announced the introduction of a new VR Gait Training System to improve rehabilitation outcomes.

In October 2021, Etac completed the acquisition of kimobility.com, a company providing manual rehab wheelchairs and seating in North America. This acquisition would help Etac to provide a significantly broader product offering including gait rehabilitation systems to individuals in this region.