The aim of this study was to determine whether the treatment of abnormal subtalar pronation restores functional (as opposed to structural) limited dorsiflexion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (functional hallux limitus). We studied 16 feet of eight individuals with abnormal subtalar pronation. Orthoses were made for all of the feet, and hallux dorsiflexion was measured during weightbeari...

In order to determine if the use of antipronation taping could be used to direct foot orthoses prescription, seven high school athletes with lower extremity or foot pain caused by overuse stress were taped for 3 days during practice sessions. A visual pain scale and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure sports subscale were used to monitor pain and function improvement caused by taping. If the tap...

A "proof of concept" prototype of a new device to link bilateral knee-ankle-foot orthoses, the Mooring Medial Linkage Orthosis (Moorong MLO), is presented. The device consists of an arcuate sliding link centred on the hip joints with rolling element bearings to minimise friction. A single repeated-measures case study is reported in which a woman with an incomplete C6 tetraplegia ambulated over ...

Foot orthoses are prescribed to improve posture in the foot and ankle. The decade of the 1980s witnessed the widespread use of foot orthoses in an attempt to produce relief of a variety of symptoms in the foot and leg and pathologies due to hindfoot and/or forefoot malalignments. While it is documented that many overuse injuries of the lower limb can be relieved with the use of foot orthoses, i...

Different arch support heights of the customized foot orthosis could produce different effects on internal biomechanics foot. However, quantitative evidence is scarce. Therefore, we aimed to investigate and quantify influence during walking stance. We reconstructed a finite element model from volunteer with flexible flatfoot. The enabled three-dimensional representation plantar fascia its inter...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of night positioning on ankle motion in patients after stroke or brain injury. DESIGN Prospective randomized controlled pilot study with 3 groups: bivalve cast; pressure-relieving ankle-foot orthosis; and control. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS Adults (n = 46) in inpatient rehabilitation with lower extremity paresis following stroke or brain injury. METHODS Interven...

BACKGROUND Foot orthoses are usually assumed to be effective by optimizing mechanically dynamic rearfoot configuration. However, the effect from a foot orthosis on kinematics that has been demonstrated scientifically has only been marginal. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different heights in medial arch-supported foot orthoses on rear foot motion during gait. METHODS Ninet...

The purpose of this project was to measure the stiffness of the Arizona ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) before and after it was modified for gait analysis with a foot specific marker set. Five Arizona AFOs were tested in the intact condition in a custom testing device in the sagittal and coronal planes. After testing in the intact condition, 2.5-cm diameter holes were drilled in the malleoli and the ...

BACKGROUND Altered foot function is common in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Plantar pressure distributions during gait are regularly assessed in this patient group; however, the association between frequently reported magnitude-based pressure variables and clinical outcomes has not been clearly established. Recently, a novel approach to the analysis of plantar pressure distributions th...

As rehabilitation for post-stroke hemiplegic patients has become widely accepted practice, there has been an increase in patients who are more difficult to treat. In the prescription rationale of orthoses for hemiplegics, the knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) for the lower limb has generally been underestimated because of its inhibitory effect on the normal walking pattern and also its interferen...