Comparison of Silicone and Posterior Leaf Spring Ankle-Foot Orthoses in a Subject With Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder
By Del Bianco, James; Fatone, Stefania; Journal of Prosthetics & Orthotics, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 155-162Publication Date: October 2008
Case study compared the effect of two ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) on ambulation in a person with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder (CMT). CMT is defined as a hereditary motor and sensor neuropathy generally resulting in weakness in both lower limbs below the knees, with weakness of the ankle muscles often resulting in the need for orthotic treatment. The study participant was a 49-year-old man with CMT who had used custom-molded posterior leaf spring AFOs (PLS-AFOs) for 4 years and custom bilateral silicone AFOs (SAFOs) for 3 months. Bilateral kinematic and kinetic data were recorded while the participant walked at his normal self-selected speed over level ground with (1) shoes alone, (2) SAFOs, and (3) PLS-AFOs, using a marker-based motion capture system. Overall, the results of the study indicated that both AFO designs improved gait compared with the shoes-alone condition, whereas the greatest degree of improvement occurred with the PLS-AFOs despite greater restriction in ankle range of motion. The PLS-AFOs were able to correct gait deviations in both stance and swing phases, whereas the SAFOs affected predominantly swing-phase movements. According to the authors, study results suggest that the SAFO would seem most appropriate for persons with gait deviations that are limited to mild equinus, that is, limited upward-bending ankle motion, during swing phase.
Published by: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins (Website:http://www.lww.com)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J55609
