Introduction : Currently, appropriate physical therapy for gait improvement has not been established in the physical therapy guidelines for rehabilitation of patients with lumbar canal stenosis (LCS). In this study, we present a case in which the use of insole therapy with corset improved gait stability and corrected the abnormal gait in a patient who underwent LCS. Additionally, gait was evaluated using the triaxial accelerometer AYUMI EYE (hereafter referred to as AYUMI EYE) manufactured by the Waseda Elderly Health Corporation, and objective results were obtained.
Case presentation : A 61-year-old woman was diagnosed with severe stenosis at L4/5 with pain in the lumbar region leading to both thighs and numbness in the posterior aspect of both thighs and toes. The patient underwent lumbar posterior decompression, resumed rehabilitation on the second postoperative day, and was evaluated using AYUMI EYE with and without an insole on the fifth and tenth postoperative days.
Results : Postoperative physical therapy evaluation revealed improved pain and numbness at rest and during movement but no significant improvement in MMT. However, the results of the measurements with and without insoles showed improvements in gait speed, RMS, stride length, and gait cycle variability.
Conclusions : Although combined physical therapy with various therapies is conditionally recommended in physical therapy, the evidence level is reported to be weak owing to the small sample size. The preoperative plot showed narrowing of the center of gravity, forward acceleration, and stride length. The postoperative insertion of an insole, together with the change in the range of center of gravity shift, RMS value, and gait speed with and without the insole, improved claudication, which had been established.
The AYUMI EYE system allows objective data to be easily obtained regardless of experience or location, and the charts and graphs are easy to read and understand, making it easy to understand the patient's own claudication. The AYUMI EYE was useful not only for sharing information among the team, but also for judging the effectiveness of the treatment and guiding the patient.
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