Individuals with weak or absent quadriceps who wish to walk independently are prescribed knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs). New stance control orthosis (SCO) designs automatically release the knee to allow swing phase flexion and extension while still locking the joint during stance. Twenty-one participants were fitted unilaterally with the Dynamic Knee Brace System (DKBS), a non-commercial SCO....

BACKGROUND The knee joint is a bicondylar hinge two-level joint with six degrees of freedom. The location of the functional axis of flexion-extension motion is still a subject of research and discussions. During the swing phase, the femoral condyles do not have direct contact with the tibial articular surfaces and the intra-articular space narrows with increasing weight bearing. The geometry of...

BACKGROUND Foot orthoses have been demonstrated to be effective in the management of a range of conditions, but there is debate as to the benefits of customised foot orthoses over less expensive, prefabricated devices. METHODS In a randomised, cross-over trial, 15 flat-footed participants aged between 18 and 45 years were provided with semi-rigid, customised orthoses and semi-rigid, contoured...

[Purpose] This study investigated how types of lumbosacral orthoses applied to patients with chronic lumbar pain affect postural control and low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] Ten subjects were randomly selected and allocated to each a group wearing soft lumbosacral orthoses and a group wearing rigid lumbosacral orthoses. They wore the lumbosacral orthoses for 4 weeks. Pain index and postura...

Wrist orthoses (also known as splints, braces, or supports) are commonly used to support or restrict the motion of a weak or injured wrist. These orthoses generally function by stiffening the wrist joint. Therefore, choosing the proper orthosis (or improving orthoses) requires that we understand their stiffness properties. In this study, we present a method for measuring the stiffness of wrist ...

Persons with quadriceps muscle weakness are often prescribed a knee-ankle-foot orthosis that locks the knee in full extension during both stance and swing phases of gait. Locking the knee results in abnormal gait patterns characterized by hip hiking and leg circumduction during swing. The stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis (SCKAFO), a new type of orthosis, has emerged that permits free kne...