Development and experience in use of a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with a multi-axis mobility knee joint (CB-KAFO) for extension thrust pattern

Abstract

We developed a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with a multi-axis mobility knee joint (CB-KAFO) for hemiplegic stroke patients with hyperextension of the knee joint during the stance phase of walking (extension thrust pattern; ETP) by combining a multi-axial knee joint, Sakima CB03A-01 (manufactured by Sakima Prosthetics & Orthotics Co., Ltd.), and an ankle-foot orthosis. The CB-KAFO was applied for two hemiplegic stroke patients with ETP while walking and the effects on gait velocity and gait verified. We administered the 10-meter walking test before and after CB-KAFO and 3 years later, and calculated the knee joint flexion angle in the stance phase using ImageJ, an image processing and analysis software program, and compared the results. The results showed that CB-KAFO improved the gait velocity and knee joint flexion angle of the stance phase both immediately and in the long term, suggesting that CB-KAFO may provide significant improvement in these areas.