Evaluation of conventional and dynamic ankle foot : orthosis in cerebral palsy subjects using gait analysis

The molded polypropylene orthosis offers many advantages in the treatment of foot and ankle problems in cerebral palsy. Numerous balancing, stance phase, and swing phase difficulties are treated with an ankle-foot orthosis with appropriate molding to correct each specific problem. Various foot orthoses can also be used to control dynamic muscle imbalances. Gait analysis has confirmed the merits of these orthoses.

Download Full-text

Changes in joint kinematics in children with cerebral palsy while walking with and without a floor reaction ankle-foot orthosis

Clinics ◽

10.1590/s1807-59322007000100010 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Paulo Roberto Garcia Lucareli ◽

Mário de Oliveira Lima ◽

Juliane Gomes de Almeida Lucarelli ◽

Fernanda Púpio Silva Lima

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Joint Kinematics ◽

Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Foot Orthosis

Download Full-text

Defining the Mechanical Properties of a Spring-hinged Ankle Foot Orthosis to Assess its Potential Use in Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.2014-0046 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 728-731 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Yvette L. Kerkum ◽

Merel-Anne Brehm ◽

Annemieke I. Buizer ◽

Josien C. van den Noort ◽

Jules G. Becher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Knee Flexion ◽

Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽

Gait Performance ◽

Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽

The Moment ◽

Potential Use ◽

Foot Orthosis ◽

Walking Energy Cost

A rigid ventral shelf ankle foot orthosis (AFO) may improve gait in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) whose gait is characterized by excessive knee flexion in stance. However, these AFOs can also impede ankle range of motion (ROM) and thereby inhibit push-off power. A more spring-like AFO can enhance push-off and may potentially reduce walking energy cost. The recent development of an adjustable spring-hinged AFO now allows adjustment of AFO stiffness, enabling tuning toward optimal gait performance. This study aims to quantify the mechanical properties of this spring-hinged AFO for each of its springs and settings. Using an AFO stiffness tester, two AFO hinges and their accompanying springs were measured. The springs showed a stiffness range of 0.01−1.82 N·m·deg−1. The moment-threshold increased with increasing stiffness (1.13–12.1 N·m), while ROM decreased (4.91–16.5°). Energy was returned by all springs (11.5–116.3 J). These results suggest that the two stiffest available springs should improve joint kinematics and enhance push-off in children with SCP walking with excessive knee flexion.

Download Full-text

‘What if it were like this?’ Perception of mothers of children with cerebral palsy about the ankle‐foot orthosis of their children: A qualitative study

Child Care Health and Development ◽

10.1111/cch.12840 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mariana Ribeiro Volpini Lana ◽

Joana Pimenta Maia ◽

Anderson Antônio Horta ◽

Sérgio Teixeira da Fonseca ◽

Marcella Guimarães Assis

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Foot Orthosis

Download Full-text

Developing an Active Ankle Foot Orthosis Based on Shape Memory Alloy Actuators

ASME 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference ◽

10.1115/sbc2007-176911 ◽

2007 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ehsan Tarkesh ◽

Mohammad H. Elahinia ◽

Mohamed Samir Hefzy

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Muscle Activity ◽

Heel Strike ◽

Drop Foot ◽

Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽

Foot Orthosis

This paper is on development of an active ankle foot orthosis (AAFO). This device will fill the gap in the existing research aimed at helping patients with drop foot muscle deficiencies as well as rehabilitation activities. Drop foot patients are unable to lift their foot because of reduced or no muscle activity around the ankle. The major causes of drop foot are severing of the nerve, stroke, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. There are two common complications from drop foot. First, the patient cannot control the falling of their foot after heel strike, so that it slaps the ground on every step. The second complication is the inability to clear the toe during swing. This causes the patients to drag their toe on the ground throughout the swing.

Download Full-text

Immediate Effects of the Dorsiflexion Angle of Hinged Ankle-foot Orthosis on the Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters of Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

10.21203/rs.3.rs-581906/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

IlHyun Son ◽

GyuChang Lee

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Stride Length ◽

Step Length ◽

Gait Velocity ◽

Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽

Spastic Diplegia ◽

Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Foot Orthosis

Abstract Background: It has been reported the effects of a hinged ankle-foot orthosis on the gait ability of children with cerebral palsy. However, no studies investigated the effects of the dorsiflexion angle of the hinged ankle-foot orthosis on the spatiotemporal gait parameters of children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis the spatiotemporal gait parameters of children with spastic diplegia compared to barefoot and a hinged ankle-foot orthosis.Methods: This study was cross-over design. 10 children with spastic diplegia were walked with barefoot, a hinged ankle-foot orthosis, and a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis. GAITRite was used to collect the spatiotemporal gait parameters including gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single leg support, and double leg support. Results: It showed that a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis significantly improved the gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single leg support, and double leg support than barefoot and a hinged ankle-foot orthosis (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of this study implied that a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis could improve the gait ability of children with spastic diplegia more than barefoot or a hinged ankle-foot orthosis. High quality future studies will need to examine the effects of hinged ankle-foot orthosis on gait ability according to dorsiflexion angles.

Download Full-text