Article

The important purpose of a powered gait orthosis is to provide active
joint movement for patients with spinal cord injury. The aim of this
study was to clarify the effect of a powered gait orthosis on the kinematics and
temporal-spatial parameters in paraplegics with spinal cord injury. STUDY DESIGN:
Quasi-experimental. METHODS: Four spinal cord injury individuals experienced gait
training with a powered gait orthosis for a minimum of 6 weeks prior to
participating in the following walking trials: walking with an isocentric
reciprocating gait orthosis and walking with both separate and synchronized
movements with actuated orthotic hip and knee joints in a powered gait orthosis.
Specific parameters were calculated and compared for each of the test conditions.
RESULTS: Using separate and synchronized actuated movement of the hip and knee
joints in the powered gait orthosis increased gait speed and step length and
reduced lateral and vertical compensatory motions when compared to the isocentric
reciprocating gait orthosis, but there were no significant differences in these
parameters. Using the new powered gait orthosis improved knee and hip joint
kinematics. CONCLUSIONS: The powered gait orthosis increased speed and step
length as well as hip and knee joint kinematics and reduced the vertical and
lateral compensatory motions compared to an isocentric reciprocating gait
orthosis in spinal cord injury patients. This new powered
gait orthosis has the potential to improve hip and knee joint kinematics, the
temporal-spatial parameters of gait in spinal cord injury patients walking.

Langue : ANGLAIS