Article

Studies suggest that 50% of children with cerebral palsy are
prescribed ankle foot orthoses. One of the aims of ankle foot orthosis use is to
aid in walking. This research examined the effects that ankle foot orthoses have
on the energy recovery and the mechanical work performed by children with
cerebral palsy during walking. METHODS: Twenty-one children with spastic diplegia
walked with and without their prescribed bilateral ankle foot orthoses. Ten of
the subjects wore articulated (hinged) orthoses and 11 subjects wore solid
orthoses. Three dimensional kinematic data were collected and between and within
group repeated measures ANOVAs were applied to the dependent measures. FINDINGS:
The results were similar for both groups. There was an increase in stride length,
energy recovery, and potential energy and the kinetic energy variation. There was
no change in the mechanical work performed to walk or the normalized center of
mass vertical excursion. Unfortunately, the increase in energy recovery did not
alter the external work, as it was offset by increased variation in the potential
and kinetic energies of the center of mass. There was a great deal of variability
in the measured work, with both large increases and decreases in the work of
individual subjects when wearing orthoses. INTERPRETATION: These results suggest
that current ankle foot orthoses can reduce the work to walk, but do not do so
for many children with cerebral palsy. This research suggests that ankle foot
orthosis prescription could be aided by measuring the mechanical work during
walking.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS