Modifying ankle foot orthosis stiffness in patients with calf muscle weakness: gait responses on group and individual level.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:To improve gait, persons with calf muscle weakness can be provided with a dorsal leaf spring ankle foot orthosis (DLS-AFO). These AFOs can store energy during stance and return this energy during push-off, which, in turn, reduces walking energy cost. Simulations indicate that the effect of the DLS-AFO on walking energy cost and gait biomechanics depends on its stiffness and on patient characteristics. We therefore studied the effect of varying DLS-AFO stiffness on reducing walking energy cost, and improving gait biomechanics and AFO generated power in persons with non-spastic calf muscle weakness, and whether the optimal AFO stiffness for maximally reducing walking energy cost varies between persons. METHODS:Thirty-seven individuals with neuromuscular disorders and non-spastic c

SUBMITTER: Waterval NFJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6798503 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature