Article

The ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) with oil damper, GaitSolution (GS), was previously
developed to make heel rocker function possible during the gait of hemiplegic
patients. To clarify the characteristics of patients who show adaptation to GS
use, a questionnaire was completed by the clinicians responsible for 99 patients
with hemiplegia who participated in this study.
Clinicians completed items
concerning gait data of patients without AFO use and with GS use, adaptation to
the use of GS, and patient opinion of GS use. Approximately 60% of patients
achieved heel rocker function during the loading response of the paretic limb and
improved gait when using GS. A comparison of the patients whose gaits were
improved by GS more than by other AFOs revealed the use of GS was well suited to
the gait of patients with a relatively higher Brunnstrom stage and a slightly
flexed knee joint during the stance phase. Approximately 60% of patients reported
feeling comfortable using GS, although patient comfort did not necessarily
coincide with the results of gait assessment by clinicians.
Patient comfort
mainly depended on trunk posture and hip joint outward rotation; hip joint
outward rotation could be improved using GS in the recovery phase but not in the
maintenance phase. This result implies the importance of gait training in the
early stage of rehabilitation.

Langue : ANGLAIS