Effects of a Simple Functional Electric System and/or a Hinged Ankle-Foot Orthosis on Walking in Persons With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
By Kim, C. Maria, MSc, PT; Eng, Janice J., PhD, PT, OT; Whittaker, Maura W., BSR, PT; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 85, No. 10, pp. 1718-1723Publication Date: October 2004
Study conducted to compare the effect of functional electric stimulation (FES) with that of a hinged ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for assisting foot clearance, gait speed, and endurance, and to determine if there is added benefit in using FES with the hinged AFO in clients with incomplete spinal cord injury. The FES device used in the study was the WalkAide system, which is a one-channel stimulator that simulates the common peroneal nerve and assists with foot clearance during walking. Nineteen people with incomplete spinal cord injuries participated in the study. Walking comparisons were performed under four conditions: (1) walking with an AFO; (2) walking with FES; (3) walking with AFO and FES; and (4) walking with no assistive technology. The authors conclude that both FES and a hinged AFO promote walking, and that FES is only superior to AFO in increasing foot clearance values. The hinged AFO and FES condition, when utilized in conjunction, was found to offer advantages over either device used alone.
Published by: W.B. Saunders Company, a division of Elsevier Health Sciences (Website:http://us.elsevierhealth.com)
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Web Site: http://www.aapmr.org/ )
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (Web Site: http://www.acrm.org )
