Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is damage to spinal cord, which is categorized according to the extent of functional loss, sensation loss and inability of the subjects to stand and walk. The patients use two transportation systems including orthosis and wheelchair. It was claimed that standing and walking bring some benefits such as decreasing bone osteoporosis, prevention of pressure sores, and impro...

A 7 year retrospective review of 42 patients of 16 years or over using the ORLAU Parawalker has been conducted to establish the degree of long-term compliance in using the orthosis on a regular basis. Regular use was defined as putting the orthosis on at least once a week. All subjects had been supplied with an ORLAU Parawalker via the routine supply procedures adopted in Oswestry, and were fol...

OBJECTIVE This study compared the total wrist range of motion permitted by four different styles of wrist extension orthoses and the free hand. METHOD Using a repeated-measures, counterbalanced design, 40 healthy female volunteers 20 to 39 years of age shot a basketball while free handed and while wearing each of four wrist extension orthoses: AlignRite; Rolyan D-Ring Long; Rolyan D-Ring Shor...

INTRODUCTION Functional impairment of [parts of] the upper limb has many different expressions. Sound biomechanical analysis is at the basis of the management of the physical challenges involved. An outline of the basics of a mechanical systems approach is presented below. Orthoses are among the many treatment options for upper limb impairments. An orthosis can be defined as a mechanical constr...

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of an ankle-foot orthosis on gait variables (velocity and cadence) of stroke patients. To do this, a systematic review was conducted of four databases. [Subjects and Methods] The papers identified were evaluated based on the following inclusion criteria: 1) design: controlled, clinical trial; 2) population: stroke patients; 3) int...

Purpose The synergistic effects of a trunk orthosis and an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) in stroke patients with a hemiplegic gait are unclear. We previously developed a trunk orthosis with joints providing resistive force (TORF) to modify malalignment of the trunk and pelvis and confirmed its positive effects in stroke patients during level walking without an AFO. The aim of the present study was ...

Introduction Most lower limb orthoses cannot be used without footwear. Occasionally, barefoot walking by patients fitted with orthoses may be necessary due to economic circumstances, to satisfy the dictates of religion, or for other reasons, such as the discomfort of conventional footwear in hot and humid climates. Invariably a boot or shoe is the foundation for an orthosis, with a stirrup rive...

Plantar heel pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting the foot and it is commonly experienced by older adults. Contoured foot orthoses and some heel inserts have been found to be effective for plantar heel pain, however the mechanism by which they achieve their effects is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of foot orthoses and heel i...

BACKGROUND Conclusive evidence indicating an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a common entrapment neuropathy, is lacking. Ultrasound therapy (US therapy) has long been used as one of the combination treatments for CTS. In addition, paraffin bath therapy has been applied widely as a physical modality in treating patients with hand conditions. The purpose of this randomized t...

Current practice and guidelines recommend the use of neck orthoses for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to compensate for neck weakness and to provide surrogate neck control. However, available options are frequently described by patients as restrictive and unsuitable and there was a need for a new device that addressed the needs of people with ALS. This project utilized a co-des...