Impact

Veterans and Paraplegics


Matthew Keil, an Army staff sergeant at Afghanistan suffered from a bullet shot by a sniper while patrolling in Ramadi, Iraq twenty years ago, in late 2007. The bullet pierced and dislocated his spinal column, missing his major arteries by only a few centimeters, causing damage in the lumbar section of his spine. “I knew I was instantly paralyzed when they were working on me; I couldn’t move my arms,” he said. Although paralysis has limited many physical activities that he could perform, he has not lost hope. In fact, Keil has faith in his recovery and believes that he still has a long way to go.

His family and friends were happy to hear that the S.P.I.N.E.S. technology will give him the possibility to regain movement and return to his life before the war. Doctors from the local hospital provided John with this option instead of the tradition physical therapy because they believe that this bionic device will stimulate damaged nerve cells, restore nerve signals in the damaged lumbar segment and eventually enable motility. Physical therapy is a long and repetitive process that often yields minimal results. The bionic spine will alleviate pain in areas of the spine.

Kiel, as a member of the Mountain States Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, thanks to the Bionic Spine Connector, can once again enjoy running around, playing basketball and traveling with his wife.


S.P.I.N.E.S helps not only war veterans but everyday people who suffer from disease or other accidents involving the damage of the spine.

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