Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of an anterior ankle-foot orthosis (AAFO) on
the speed and accuracy of weight shift in persons with stroke. DESIGN: Cross
sectional, repeated measures. SETTING: Neurologic rehabilitation department.
PARTICIPANTS: People with stroke (N=24) who were unable to voluntarily dorsiflex
the foot against gravity. INTERVENTION: The weight-shift performance was measured
with and without the AAFO.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The speed and accuracy of
sustained and cyclic bilateral weight shift were measured using the computerized
dynamic posturography. The movement velocity, maximum excursion, and directional
control of sustained weight shift were calculated using the limits of stability
test. The on-axis velocity gap, directional control, and stability of cyclic
bilateral weight shift were calculated using the rhythmic weight shift test.
RESULTS: For sustained weight shift, the maximum excursion of weight shift to the
affected side was greater with the AAFO (P=.002). For cyclic bilateral weight
shift, the on-axis velocity gap in the mediolateral (ML) direction was smaller at
a fast speed (P=.004). The stability of the ML and anteroposterior weight shift
was higher at slow (P=.002 and P<.001, respectively) and fast (P=.001 and P<.001,
respectively) speeds when wearing the AAFO. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
demonstrated that persons with stroke who wear an AAFO might improve the
excursion of the sustained weight shift to the affected side and the speed and
stability of cyclic bilateral weight shift in the ML direction.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS