Biomechanical analysis of an unpowered hip flexion orthosis on individuals with and without multiple sclerosis.

Background: Gait impairment is a common complication of multiple sclerosis (MS). Gait limitations such as limited hip flexion, foot drop, and knee hyperextension often require external devices like crutches, canes, and orthoses. The effects of mobility-assistive technologies (MATs) prescribed to people with MS are not well understood, and current devices do not cater to the specific needs of these individuals.

Description of novel instrumented analysis of the Four Square Step Test with clinical application: A pilot study.

Background: Falls are a common problem for adults in the United States raising concerns about injuries and the resulting economic burden. As a result, it is critical to develop objective measures to assess dynamic balance and the track progress related to interventions or disease progression over time.

Research Question: Are there differences in balance between individuals in the community, individuals post-stroke, persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and individuals living with Parkinson's Disease (PD) as measured with a new instrumented Four Square Step Test (i-FSST)?

Methods: The i-FSST was utilized to assess dynamic balance in 41 individuals (11 community dwelling adults and 10 individuals in each group of persons post stroke, with PD, and with MS).

Gait recovery in a girl with ischemic spinal cord stroke.

Background And Purpose: This case report describes an aggressive, task-specific program for the recovery of gait in a girl with a spinal cord stroke.

Case Description: The 11-year-old girl sustained a spinal cord stroke resulting in a T4 motor-incomplete lesion. Therapy was initiated 6 months after onset when she was not ambulating.

Excellent outcomes for adults who experienced early standardized treadmill training during acute phase of recovery from stroke: a case series.

Objective: To describe gait outcomes, including assistive device use and incidence of falls, in a group of adults post stroke who received early standardized treadmill training (ESTT) in the acute phase of rehabilitation.

Design: A case series of 18 individuals post stroke with varied lesion size, location, and comorbidities.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Locomotor treadmill training with partial body-weight support before overground gait in adults with acute stroke: a pilot study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of locomotor treadmill training with partial body-weight support (BWS) before the initiation of overground gait for adults less than 6 weeks poststroke.

Design: Parallel group, posttest only.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation center.

Locomotor treadmill training with body-weight support prior to over-ground gait: promoting symmetrical gait in a subject with acute stroke.

Background And Purpose: An asymmetrical gait pattern is frequently observed in persons recovering from stroke. Locomotor training with partial body-weight support (BWS) has been demonstrated to be effective for restoring ambulation abilities in persons poststroke. However, the optimal treatment parameters for this intervention have not been defined.