The first time I met Adam Powell, I knew I was watching something remarkable.
It was this summer, at the Modified by MS conference in Branson, Missouri, and Adam had just put on the Neural Sleeve for the very first time — two of them, actually, one on each leg. As he took his first steps, his entire posture changed. His gait smoothed out. The transformation was so dramatic, I exclaimed, "Oh my God.” And I wasn't alone in noticing the striking shift. By the time Adam finished his demo, a crowd had gathered around us.
“It felt really good. I was walking smoother and my foot wasn't dropping as much. I wasn't getting that “hitch,” as I call it. But I didn't realize how good it was until I saw the video. I was like, this is game-changing for me,” Adam told me on a recent recording of the Cionic Podcast. “ And I then stayed and watched more people try it, and seeing the joy in their faces of being able to walk almost normally again, it was incredible. I barely have words for how amazing it was.”
From Wheelchair to Walking: Adam's MS Journey
Adam lives in Fenton, Michigan, a small town outside Flint. When he was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS in June 2019, he didn't know what MS was. His doctor called it one of the fastest, most aggressive cases he'd ever seen. Within five to six months, Adam went from walking independently to using a wheelchair full-time.
He spent nine months in that chair. But Adam, who credits a stubborn streak for motivating him, wanted a change.
"I decided that's not how I wanted to be," he said. "Since then, I've done nothing but try to get out of the chair and keep walking. And I have achieved that."
The journey hasn't been easy. Walking remains Adam's biggest challenge — he says balance is challenging and his knees want to hyperextend. Foot drop and ankle rolling persist, too. Every step requires intense concentration, making walking both physically and mentally exhausting.
“It's something that people take for granted. I have to think about it. I have to be like, ‘All right, is my ankle gonna come down where I want it to? Is it gonna turn? Is it gonna roll?’ That's constantly going through my head while I walk,” he said. ”I can barely talk to people while I'm walking because I'm concentrating so much on walking.”
A Game-Changing Difference
Adam had been following Cionic since the original Neural Sleeve received FDA clearance, waiting for the day he could try two sleeves — one for each leg. When he finally got the chance in Branson, the results exceeded his expectations.
The day after returning home with his Neural Sleeves, Adam did something he hadn't done since his diagnosis: he walked down his driveway without his walking stick. He felt good, so he kept going — three houses down to his neighbor's house and back. It was maybe an eighth of a mile, but it was a breakthrough.
"I've never done that before," he said. "I just couldn't believe it."
Adam says the Neural Sleeve has changed his walking in multiple ways. His foot no longer drops as much. The "hitch" in his knee and hip has smoothed out. He doesn't cross his feet when walking. Additionally, he said his posture has completely changed — it’s easier to stand upright instead of hunched over, compensating for his gait.
The mental relief has been just as significant as the physical improvement. Because he doesn't have to think as hard about each step, the cognitive fatigue that once drained him has decreased dramatically. He can now walk into a grocery store or restaurant without his stick — something that seemed impossible just months ago.
"I have not walked four miles ever," he said. "And the fact that I was able to do it... it was just such an amazing experience."
The 10 for 10 Challenge
Adam realized he could ride a bike about three years ago — a discovery that came on a day when he was frustrated and just needed to get out of the house. He hopped on his dad's bike without telling his parents, unsure if his balance would even make it possible. When he successfully rode to the end of the road and back, he saw the joy on his parents' faces and realized he'd found a new way to move.
Now, with the Neural Sleeve's cycling mode helping keep his foot from falling off the pedals, Adam has set an ambitious goal: riding 10 miles in October. His neighbor, who regularly rides with him, came up with the "10 for 10" challenge, and Adam immediately accepted.
(So far, he’s close to 6 miles, and we’ll definitely have him back on the podcast to give us an update on the challenge!)
Adam trains strategically, alternating between distance days, when he rides at a slower pace to build endurance, and power days, when he pushes for speed and strength. He typically rides five days a week, weather and schedule permitting, often joined by his neighbor.
"She’s basically like my second mom," he said. “She's 70 years old, and she still runs, she still rides bikes, she does kettlebells. She's the toughest lady that I've ever known.”
Documenting Progress, Inspiring Others
Since his MS diagnosis, Adam has shared his journey openly on social media and through advocacy work. He's involved in multiple MS support groups, does fundraising for the MS Walk, and speaks at events whenever possible. What drives him is the hope that someone else living with MS might see what he's accomplished and think, "If he can do it, why can't I?"
"Documenting it has been cool, just to share my journey and maybe give somebody with MS hope," he said. "This guy used to be in a wheelchair. Now he's riding eight miles. He's walking, he's playing golf. Like, if he can do it, why can't I do it?"
As Cionic’s new ambassador, Adam has already inspired so many members of our community — and our team.
Three Tips for Daily Progress
When asked what inspires him to keep pushing forward, Adam's answer was simple but powerful: "I always want to see how much more I can do. I just try to be a little better today than I was yesterday, and just keep adding those up."
Here are three things Adam does to make progress every day:
- Start with movement. Adam begins each morning with a bed yoga routine — simple stretches for his legs and back that take about an hour but make all the difference in how his joints feel. After that, he almost always rides his bike around 11 a.m., when the weather isn't too hot.
- Dedicate time for rest. After a long bike ride, Adam typically sets aside an hour to recover. "Resting is part of my workout, because I know I can't do one without the other," he said. "That doesn't make me lazy… that makes me smart."
- Keep raising the bar. Adam's philosophy is rooted in consistency over perfection. He tracks his progress through videos and photos, looking back to see how far he's come since those early days in a wheelchair. On hard days, that perspective reminds him that small improvements compound over time. "It took years for my body to get like this. I can't expect instant change," he said. "But if I look back a month, I can do things I couldn't do before."
Follow Adam on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with his journey.
