Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Short-SHB on squatting and going up-down stairs movement. We analyzed these movement with Short-SHB, SHB and shoes, using the foot switch, the force-plate and the multi-point XY tragger. Five patients who were hemiparetic secondary to cerebrovascular accidents, all men, with a mean age of 47.2 years and five normal controls participated as subjects. The result of the study indicated below. 1) Subjects could squat down more completely with Short-SHB than with SHB. 2) In squatting movement, the length of the center of pressure (COP) transit with Short-SHB was shorter than with SOB. 3) In the same movement, the heel contact with the ground was got with Short-SHB, but not with SHB. So the stability with Short-SHB was better than with SHB. 4) In going up-down stairs movement, the motion of the ankle joint with Short-SHB was similar to that with shoes of normal controls and the period of the stance phase by asound side with Short-SHB was longer than with SHB. We suggested, therefore, that Short-SHB was more useful than SHB in squatting and going up-down stairs movement.
