Orthopedic footwear has a positive influence on gait adaptability in individuals with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.

Background: Individuals with Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy (HMSN) are commonly provided with orthopedic footwear to improve gait. Although orthopedic footwear has shown to improve walking speed and spatiotemporal parameters, its effect on gait adaptability has not been established.

Research Question: What is the effect of orthopedic footwear on gait adaptability in individuals with HMSN?

Methods: Fifteen individuals with HMSN performed a precision stepping task on an instrumented treadmill projecting visual targets, while wearing either custom-made orthopedic or standardized footwear (i.

Effects of orthopedic footwear on postural stability and walking in individuals with Hereditary Motor Sensory Neuropathy.

Background: Orthopedic footwear is often prescribed to improve postural stability during standing and walking in individuals with Hereditary Motor Sensory Neuropathy. However, supporting evidence in literature is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orthopedic footwear on quiet standing balance, gait speed, spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics, kinetics and dynamic balance in individuals with Hereditary Motor Sensory Neuropathy.

How does a systematic tuning protocol for ankle foot orthosis-footwear combinations affect gait in children in cerebral palsy?

Purpose: To investigate the effects of a systematic tuning protocol for ankle foot orthosis footwear combinations (AFO-FC) using incrementing heel height on gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Eighteen children with CP (10.8 ± 3 years, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) I-II) underwent 3D gait analysis on a treadmill, while the AFO heel surface was systematically incremented with wedges.

Production Time and User Satisfaction of 3-Dimensional Printed Orthoses For Chronic Hand Conditions Compared With Conventional Orthoses: A Prospective Case Series.

Objective: Hand orthoses are often prescribed for persons with chronic hand and wrist impairments. This study assessed the feasibility, in terms of production time and user satisfaction, of 3-dimensional printed hand orthoses compared with conventional hand orthoses for this population.

Methods: In this prospective case series, both a conventional hand orthosis and a 3-dimensional printed hand orthosis were manufactured for 10 participants.

Assessment of the Shank-to-Vertical Angle While Changing Heel Heights Using a Single Inertial Measurement Unit in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Wearing an Ankle-Foot-Orthosis.

Previous research showed that an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) on the anterior side of the shank can accurately measure the Shank-to-Vertical Angle (SVA), which is a clinically-used parameter to guide tuning of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). However, in this context it is specifically important that differences in the SVA are detected during the tuning process, i.e.

An individual approach for optimizing ankle-foot orthoses to improve mobility in children with spastic cerebral palsy walking with excessive knee flexion.

Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are commonly prescribed to promote gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The AFO prescription process is however largely dependent on clinical experience, resulting in confusing results regarding treatment efficacy. To maximize efficacy, the AFO's mechanical properties should be tuned to the patient's underlying impairments.

The Effects of Varying Ankle Foot Orthosis Stiffness on Gait in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy Who Walk with Excessive Knee Flexion.

Introduction: Rigid Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are commonly prescribed to counteract excessive knee flexion during the stance phase of gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP). While rigid AFOs may normalize knee kinematics and kinetics effectively, it has the disadvantage of impeding push-off power. A spring-like AFO may enhance push-off power, which may come at the cost of reducing the knee flexion less effectively.

The Shank-to-Vertical-Angle as a parameter to evaluate tuning of Ankle-Foot Orthoses.

The effectiveness of an Ankle-Foot Orthosis footwear combination (AFO-FC) may be partly dependent on the alignment of the ground reaction force with respect to lower limb joint rotation centers, reflected by joint angles and moments. Adjusting (i.e.

Acclimatization of the gait pattern to wearing an ankle-foot orthosis in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Background: Ankle-foot orthoses can be prescribed to improve gait in children with cerebral palsy. Before evaluating the effects of ankle-foot orthoses on gait, a period to adapt or acclimatize is usually applied. It is however unknown whether an acclimatization period is actually needed to reliably evaluate the effect of a new orthosis on gait.

Defining the mechanical properties of a spring-hinged ankle foot orthosis to assess its potential use in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

A rigid ventral shelf ankle foot orthosis (AFO) may improve gait in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) whose gait is characterized by excessive knee flexion in stance. However, these AFOs can also impede ankle range of motion (ROM) and thereby inhibit push-off power. A more spring-like AFO can enhance push-off and may potentially reduce walking energy cost.

Optimising Ankle Foot Orthoses for children with cerebral palsy walking with excessive knee flexion to improve their mobility and participation; protocol of the AFO-CP study.

Background: Ankle-Foot-Orthoses with a ventral shell, also known as Floor Reaction Orthoses (FROs), are often used to reduce gait-related problems in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP), walking with excessive knee flexion. However, current evidence for the effectiveness (e.g.