2019 Volume 19 Issue 2 Pages 99-107
In this study, the load on a shoehorn brace-type plastic ankle-foot orthosis during walking was measured in 9 hemiplegic subjects and 6 non-hemiplegic subjects. A 6-axis force sensor was used to measure the load on the orthosis and a flexible goniometer was used to examine its deformation. Then, range and magnitude of moments and forces acting on the orthosis were calculated along each axis. We found a significant difference in the waveform for load in the longitudinal direction, which plays an important role in walking, between the hemiplegic and non-hemiplegic subjects, as well as significant inter-individual variation in the waveforms obtained from the hemiplegic subjects. These findings suggest that the thickness and shape of the brace should be taken into account when designing an orthosis to meet the functional needs of a hemiplegic patient. The waveform associated with deformation of the orthosis was confirmed to be similar to that of the waveform of the longitudinal load. We believe that the results of our study provide the basic data necessary for construction of a semiautomatic design and fabrication system for orthoses suitable for hemiplegic patients.
