Article

This paucity of data results in prescription guidelines based on assumptions or
practitioners' past experience, and the potential for incorrectly designed
components. The purpose of this study was to directly measure loads on the knee
joint of a knee-ankle-foot orthosis. Study design: Case series. Case Description
and Methods: Three subjects who had been prescribed a knee-ankle-foot orthosis
for quadriceps weakness underwent gait analysis and orthotic upright load data
collection. A load sensor to measure the three force and three moment components
was used in place of the lateral knee joint while the subjects walked in three
knee flexion positions. Findings and Outcomes: Forces were highest in compression
and moments were greatest in the sagittal plane. The kinetics did not increase
solely with patient weight. There was substantial variability between subjects.
Conclusions: This data will help guide orthotic component design and prescription
guidelines. Knowledge of loading conditions will lead to more optimal orthotic
intervention for patients and increased patient satisfaction. Clinical relevance
This study is one of the first to directly measure loads on the upright of a
KAFO. These data provide objective targets for engineering design. The data from
this small case series can also be used to establish guidelines for patient
device selection.

Langue : ANGLAIS