Article

Knee-ankle-foot orthoses are utilized for walking by patients with
lower limb weakness. However, they may be rejected by patients due to the lack of
knee flexion available when using them for walking activities. The aim of
this study was to perform a pilot study investigating the effect of a new powered
knee-ankle-foot orthosis on walking in healthy persons before testing with
patients with lower limb weakness. Methods: Walking evaluation was performed on
five healthy subjects (mean age: 26 +/- 5.6 years). Walking trials were randomly
performed in three test conditions: normal walking without an orthosis, walking
with a conventional knee-ankle-foot orthosis unilaterally, and also with a new
powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis applied to the same leg. Results: The means of
walking speed, cadence, and knee flexion during swing and step length were all
decreased. Compensatory motions were increased by both orthoses compared to
normal walking. More knee flexion was observed in both swing and stance phases
when walking with the powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis compared to the
conventional knee-ankle-foot orthosis. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the
potential of a powered orthosis in providing improvements in gait parameters
compared to a conventional device in healthy subjects but are yet untested in
subjects with lower limb weakness. Clinical relevance
The results of this study
demonstrated that a powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis could lock the knee during
stance and provide active knee flexion during swing to potentially reduce the
tripping during ambulation.

Langue : ANGLAIS