Examination of knee joint moments on the function of knee-ankle-foot orthoses during walking

J Appl Biomech. 2013 Aug;29(4):474-80. doi: 10.1123/jab.29.4.474. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate clinically relevant biomechanical conditions relating to the setup and alignment of knee-ankle-foot orthoses and the influence of these conditions on knee extension moments and orthotic stance control during gait. Knee moments were collected using an instrumented gait laboratory and concurrently a load transducer embedded at the knee-ankle-foot orthosis knee joint of four individuals with poliomyelitis. We found that knee extension moments were not typically produced in late stance-phase of gait. Adding a dorsiflexion stop at the orthotic ankle significantly decreased the knee flexion moments in late stance-phase, while slightly flexing the knee in stance-phase had a variable effect. The findings suggest that where users of orthoses have problems initiating swing-phase flexion with stance control orthoses, an ankle dorsiflexion stop may be used to enhance function. Furthermore, the use of stance control knee joints that lock while under flexion may contribute to more inconsistent unlocking of the stance control orthosis during gait.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ankle Joint / physiology*
  • Braces*
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Foot / physiology
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / etiology
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / physiopathology*
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / rehabilitation*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / physiopathology*
  • Male
  • Muscle Contraction*
  • Poliomyelitis / complications
  • Poliomyelitis / physiopathology
  • Poliomyelitis / rehabilitation
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Range of Motion, Articular*
  • Torque
  • Treatment Outcome