Sierra Zabel
Papers
1
Total Citations
16
H-Index
1
About
Sierra Zabel is a physiotherapy researcher whose work bridges the gap between emerging rehabilitation technologies and clinical practice. Her primary research areas focus on the implementation of wearable robotic exoskeletons for gait rehabilitation, with a particular emphasis on understanding the perspectives of physiotherapy students and practitioners. Zabel’s most cited study, “Physiotherapy students’ perspectives on the use and implementation of exoskeletons as a rehabilitative technology in clinical settings” (2020, 16 citations), investigates the barriers and facilitators to adopting lower body robotic exoskeletons in clinical environments. This work is notable for highlighting the disconnect between the proposed utility of exoskeletons for task-specific overground walking and their limited real-world integration. By centering the voices of future clinicians, Zabel provides critical insights into the educational and practical challenges that must be addressed to advance rehabilitation technology. Her research underscores the importance of user-centered design and training, making her a key contributor to the dialogue on how to translate innovative assistive devices into routine physiotherapy practice.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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