Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sumiko Yamamoto, Naoyuki Motojima, Yosuke Kobayashi, Yuji Osada, Souji Tanaka, Aliyeh Daryabor
Summary: This study compared the effects of using an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) with plantarflexion stiffness but without dorsiflexion resistance (AFO-OD) and a nonarticulated AFO on gait improvement in stroke patients. The results showed that the AFO-OD group exhibited greater improvement in ankle joint kinematics and kinetics compared to the nonarticulated AFO group. However, the results of peak power absorption varied greatly among patients.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Ying Fang, Greg Orekhov, Zachary F. Lerner
Summary: This study demonstrates acute spatiotemporal and neuromuscular benefits from over-ground training with adaptive ankle exoskeleton assistance, and provides rationale for completion of a longer randomized controlled training protocol.
Article
Rehabilitation
Kazuhiro Tsuchiyama, Masahiko Mukaino, Kei Ohtsuka, Fumihiro Matsuda, Hiroki Tanikawa, Junya Yamada, Kannit Pongpipatpaiboon, Yoshikiyo Kanada, Eiichi Saitoh, Yohei Otaka
Summary: This study investigated the effects of ankle-foot orthoses on post-stroke gait stability. The results showed that ankle-foot orthoses improved gait stability indices, but may have either non-significant or possibly negative effects in patients with mild ankle impairment. However, the effect on toe clearance was significant.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ji-Eun Cho, Kyeong-Jun Seo, Sunghe Ha, Hogene Kim
Summary: This study investigated the effects of 3D-printed ankle-foot orthoses (3D-AFOs) on patients with stroke. The results showed that 3D-AFOs were suitable for community ambulation of patients with chronic stroke and had positive effects on step length, stride width, symmetry, ankle range of motion, and muscle efficiency. However, the 4-week community ambulation training with 3D-AFOs did not promote patient participation, but it improved ankle muscle strength, balance, gait symmetry, and gait endurance, and reduced depression.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Julio S. Lora-Millan, Mahdi Nabipour, Edwin van Asseldonk, Cristina Bayon
Summary: Assistive ankle-foot orthoses (AAFOs) are powerful solutions for gait assistance or rehabilitation. This research analyzes the latest AAFO technologies and categorizes the different approaches into clusters based on their basis and working principles. It also reviews the purpose and experimental validation of the devices, providing insights into their technology readiness level. The reviewed designs, limitations, and future directions in this field are summarized and discussed.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yusuke Sekiguchi, Keita Honda, Dai Owaki, Shin-Ichi Izumi
Summary: Categorization based on quasi-joint stiffness (QJS) can help clinicians select appropriate ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) for patients after stroke. The study classified gait patterns based on ankle joint stiffness into three subgroups, with significant differences in the proportion of AFO, articulated AFO, and non-articulated AFO used among the subgroups.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Hua Ling, Hui Guo, Hao Zhou, Xiao-Qian Chang, Zi-Yang Guo, Sumiko Yamamoto, Li-Fei Cai, Jun Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different types of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) on pelvic and thoracic movements in stroke patients during gait. The results showed that the use of AFO-OD improved pelvic and lower limb movements and had better gait performance compared to RAFO. However, the use of AFO resulted in in-phase rotation of the thoracic, indicating insufficient trunk control and dissociation movement. These findings have important implications for gait rehabilitation in stroke patients.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ONLINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jong-Bae Choi, Sang-Hoon Lee, Ji-Su Park
Summary: This study compared the effects of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) and kinesiology taping (KT) on gait ability in stroke patients with foot drop. The results showed that KT and AFO had similar effects on gait function, suggesting that KT could be an alternative treatment for patients who cannot use AFO.
Article
Rehabilitation
Kei Ohtsuka, Masahiko Mukaino, Junya Yamada, Matsuda Fumihiro, Hiroki Tanikawa, Kazuhiro Tsuchiyama, Toshio Teranishi, Eiichi Saitoh, Yohei Otaka
Summary: Ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) effectively mitigates abnormal gait patterns, reducing forefoot contact, circumduction gait, and contralateral vaulting, while increasing excessive hip external rotation, and possibly reducing hip hiking. Walking with an AFO significantly decreases the absolute symmetry index of double-stance time and step length.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REHABILITATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Wonseok Shin, Dongwoo Nam, Bummo Ahn, Sangjoon J. Kim, Dong Yeon Lee, Suncheol Kwon, Jung Kim
Summary: This study developed a pneumatically powered ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) to improve the gait patterns of patients with foot drop. The results of the study indicate that providing unilateral ankle dorsiflexion assistance during the swing phase can temporarily improve gait asymmetry.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Lorena de Oliveira Vaz, Juliana de Carvalho Almeida, Karla Simone dos Santos Oliveira Froes, Cristiane Dias, Elen Beatriz Pinto, Jamary Oliveira-Filho
Summary: Adding inspiratory muscle training to a rehabilitation program can improve inspiratory muscle endurance in individuals post-stroke, but does not significantly further improve inspiratory pressure, walking capacity, activities of daily living, or quality of life compared to rehabilitation alone.
CLINICAL REHABILITATION
(2021)
Review
Rehabilitation
Aliyeh Daryabor, Sumiko Yamamoto, Michael Orendurff, Toshiki Kobayashi
Summary: This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) on the energy expenditure metrics of walking in stroke survivors. The review finds that AFOs may have an immediate positive effect on energy expenditure metrics, but further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of gait training using AFOs and to compare different types of orthoses.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Deema Totah, Kira Barton, Deanna H. Gates
Summary: This study investigates the impact of rotational speed on AFO stiffness around the ankle, finding significant changes in AFO properties at different speeds, with larger effects on energy dissipation compared to stiffness and neutral angle. The findings suggest that AFO flexion speed can influence the performance of different AFOs, indicating a need for further research on the clinical implications of these small variations in AFO properties.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
T. Jennison, O. Ukoumunne, S. Lamb, I. Sharpe, A. J. Goldberg
Summary: This study aims to determine the failure rates of primary ankle arthroplasties commonly used in the UK. The study found a five-year survival rate of 90.2% for ankle arthroplasties, with fixed-bearing implants demonstrating higher survivorship than mobile-bearing implants.
BONE & JOINT JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Wyatt D. Ihmels, Kelly A. Ohm, Simisola Oludare, Jonathan Elrod, Elizabeth Russell Esposito
Summary: The study compared the metabolic demands of walking in individuals with lower limb injury with and without ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) use. The results showed that the use of AFO did not significantly affect the energetic demand in participants with a lower limb injury. Although the heart rate was higher compared to able-bodied controls, the perceived exertion was significantly lower. There were no significant differences between participants with a lower limb injury (with or without the AFO) and individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA).
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
