Effect of AFO resistance in dorsiflexion on the gait of post-stroke individuals in recovery phase

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01577
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Sumiko 国際医療福祉大学, 医療福祉学研究科, 教授 (30302102)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 歩行分析 / 脳血管障害 / 下肢装具

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The gait of using an AFO with an oil damper (AFO-OD) without dorsiflexion resistance, was compared with a nonarticulated AFO, which has dorsiflexion resistance, in a randomized controlled trial.
Forty-one patients in the subacute phase of stroke were randomly allocated to two groups to undergo gait training for 1 h daily over 2 weeks by physiotherapists while wearing each AFO. A motion capture system was utilized to measure the gait with the allocated AFO after training. Unpaired t-test or Mann Whitney U test was performed to clarify the difference between the two AFO groups, with a significance level of p=0.05.
Thirty-six patients completed the study. The ankle joint was more dorsiflexed throughout the gait cycle and peak ankle power absorption was larger in stance in the AFO-OD group compared with the nonarticulated AFO group. The results showed that the dorsiflexion resistance of an AFO restricted the movement and the muscle power around the ankle joint.

Free Research Field

バイオメカニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

片麻痺者の歩行に対して、装具の有無を比較した研究は数多く存在するが、装具の機能の違いが歩行に及ぼす影響を調べた研究はほとんど行われていない。本研究で得られた結果は、片麻痺者の歩行練習において適切な装具を選定する際に有用な情報となる。