Ottobock Virtual Symposium for Healthcare Professionals.
Advances in NeuroMobility - Clinical and Patient Insights on C-Brace and Neurorehabilitation
Join us for an insightful online symposium exploring the latest clinical evidence in NeuroMobility highlithing new results and patient reports with C-Brace, as well as the integration of advanced technologies into neurorehabilitation.
The “Advances in NeuroMobility - Clinical and Patient Insights on C‑Brace and Neurorehabilitation” symposium will cover the following key topics by renowed experts:
Insights on the integration of orthoses and advanced technologies in neurorehabilitation of stroke and SCI patients:
Explore how these tools (e.g. functional electrical stimulation (FES), spinal cord stimulation or robotics) facilitate functional neuromodulation and transform the recovery process by actively shaping neural plasticity and patient independence.
Patient Insights in C-Brace:
Gain valuable insight into how C-Brace can be transformative, when conventional orthotic solutions have failed, no further improvement seemed possible and patients were told that walking is no longer part of their future, leaving a wheelchair the only remaining option!
Research Insights on C-Brace:
Discover the latest results on C-Brace including improvements in mobility, endurance, balance, participation and quality of life as well as experiences in real clinical practice.
Don’t miss this opportunity to stay at the forefront of clinical research to support innovation in individuals with neurological impairments and ultimately achieve the best possible outcomes. Together, we can enhance patient care and continue driving progress in the field.
Virtual Symposium.
Tuesday 16th, June 2026, 16:00 – 17:30 CET
16:00 | Welcome and Indroduction Dr. Andreas Hahn Corporate Vice President Clinical Research and Services, Otto Bock Healthcare Products GmbH – Vienna (Austria) |
16:05 | NeuroRehabilitation as modulation of functionality of the central nervous system. Alessandro Specchia, MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) specialist. Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit - Villa Beretta (Valduce Hospital), ( Italy) |
16:25 | C-Brace. Life-changing. Chantal Engel Senior Orthotist (CPO) team member Livit.Academy at Livit Ottobock Care, Eindhoven (Netherlands) |
16:45 | Impact of a microprocessor-controlled knee-ankle-foot orthosis in community ambulators: a randomized crossover trial. The implications of this study in France. François Genêt, MD, PhD Head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches (France) |
17:05 | Panel Discussion |
17:30 | Wrap up and closing |
Registration for this virtual symposium.
After completing the registration process successfully, the link to join the symposium will be promptly sent to the e-mail address provided during registration.
Dr. Andreas Hahn
Corporate Vice President Clinical Research and Services, Otto Bock Healthcare Products GmbH – Vienna (Austria)
Dr. Hahn is the Corporate Vice President of Clinical Research and Services at Otto Bock, where he leads the company’s global clinical research strategy and implementation.
With a PhD in physics from Oxford University, Dr. Hahn brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the medical device industry.
Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his contributions to prosthetics research, receiving the prestigious AOPA Thranhardt Lecture Award in 2014, 2019, and 2021. His award-winning work includes investigations of the influence of mobility grade rating in the response of limited community ambulators to MPKs and the utilization of health economic instruments in prosthetics.
Alessandro Specchia, MD
PMR specialist. Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit - Villa Beretta (Valduce Hospital), (Italy)
NeuroRehabilitation as modulation of functionality of the central nervous system.
Alessandro Specchia, MD is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) at the Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit of Valduce Hospital in Villa Beretta (Italy). He obtained his medical degree from the University of Pisa in 2002 and completed his postgraduate specialization in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in 2006.
From 2006 to 2017, he worked at the Rehabilitation Unit of Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, where he developed extensive expertise in movement analysis and spasticity treatment. Since 2018 he has been working at Villa Beretta Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre, initially with the Outpatient Clinic and subsequently at the Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit.
Dr. Specchia's areas of expertise and research include post-stroke and spinal cord injury-related spasticity, gait and movement analysis, robotic device for Rehabilitation, autonomic nervous system functionality and bone density loss in neurologic diseases.
Chantal Engel
Senior Orthotist (CPO) team member Livit.Academy at Livit Ottobock Care, Eindhoven (Netherlands)
C-Brace. Life changing.
Chantal Engel is a certified Orthotist with more than 15 years of experience in multidisciplinary rehabilitation settings. She currently works at Livit Ottobock.Care in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, where close collaboration with physicians, therapists, and orthopedic shoemakers is a key aspect of her role.
Throughout her career, she has developed expertise in multiple product areas, including cranial remolding helmets and scoliosis care. Her primary specialties lie in gait analysis, and complex orthosis for lower limb (AFOs, KAFOs, with a particular focus on hinged carbon orthoses). She is driven to deliver the most effective solution for each client by combining in-depth knowledge of materials and techniques with a multidisciplinary approach to achieve optimal functional outcomes while the client’s needs and objectives consistently remain central. She values creative problem-solving while strictly adhering to technical requirements.
She is proud to have contributed to the development of a unique Livit Ottobock.Care process that enables carbon orthoses to be fully finished in a single step, eliminating the need for time-consuming fitting sessions. This innovation supports more efficient workflows and provides clear benefits for both clients and practitioners. She has a strong interest in process optimization and continuous quality improvement.
In addition, Chantal Engel is an active member of the Livit.Academy and is responsible for developing educational content such as knowledge clips, online instructions, and webinars. She also organizes and delivers internal and external training programs. Her work focuses on knowledge sharing, professional development of colleagues, and promoting consistency across the organization. She is further responsible for the training and mentoring of junior orthotists.
François Genêt, MD, PhD
Head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches (France)
Impact of a microprocessor-controlled knee-ankle-foot orthosis in community ambulators: a randomized crossover trial. The implications of this study in France.
François Genêt is a University Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), director of the “Handistart” Research Unit (UR20262) at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay), and head of the PMR department at Raymond Poincaré Hospital in Garches, France. In particular, he heads the first medical-surgical neuro-orthopedic unit dedicated to people with neuromotor disabilities and the parasport health center.
Professor Genêt completed his medical studies at the University of Paris-Ouest in Paris, France, after working as a physical therapist. Before joining Raymond Poincaré Hospital in 2005, he practiced in the physical medicine and rehabilitation departments at the Percy Military Teaching Hospital in Clamart and Victor Dupouy Hospital in Argenteuil.
His clinical and research interests focus on the pathophysiology of neurological and traumatic disabilities as they affect the musculoskeletal system. The main medical-scientific objectives is to identify the progression and the management of markers characterizing the pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in individuals with disabilities, in order to propose therapeutic solutions. Personally, he works on the outcomes of functional surgery and the impacts of central and peripheral neurological lesions on joints and bones, and the impact of muscular disorders on limb deformities. A significant portion of his clinical and research work involves assistive devices, particularly orthoses and wheelchairs.
