Force plate studies with nine adult traumatic complete paraplegics with lesion at thoracic level have shown that, unlike children walking in the Oswestry Hip Guidance Orthosis (Para Walker) system, they have to apply extra stabilizing forces through the crutches for safe walking. These forces are described and are attributed to an increased crutch force applied to prevent lateral deformation of...

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an ankle foot orthosis on weight-bearing abilities of stroke patients by comparing weight loading during performance of tasks in various standing positions on the affected side. [Subjects and Methods] This study was performed with 16 stroke patients. To measure the weight loading value and percentage of weight loading in affected...

To investigate the effects induced by wearing an orthosis during the rehabilitation process, 23 ankle sprain patients (degrees I and II) were evaluated in three conditions (reference, with an elastic compression stocking and with an orthosis), 14 h, 10 and 30 days on average after their injury and compared with those of 30 age-matched healthy individuals. The patients were tested with separate ...

The authors have developed a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with a joint unit that controls knee movements using a microcomputer (Intelligent Orthosis). The Intelligent Orthosis was applied to normal subjects and patients, and gait analysis was performed. In the gait cycle, the ratio of the stance phase to the swing phase was less in gait with the knee locked using a knee-ankle-foot orthosis than in ...

PURPOSE The effects of lumbosacral and spinal orthoses on low back pain and gait are not exactly clear. We previously developed a trunk orthosis with joints providing resistive force on low back load to decrease such load, and confirmed its positive effects during level walking in healthy young adults. Therefore, we aimed to determine the efficacy of this trunk orthosis during level walking in ...

Distal femoral varus osteotomy is a well-established procedure for the treatment of lateral compartment cartilage lesions and degenerative disease, correcting limb alignment and decreasing the progression of the pathology. Surgical techniques can be performed with a lateral opening-wedge or medial closing-wedge correction of the deformity. Fixation methods for lateral opening-wedge osteotomies ...

[Purpose] Lateral wedge insoles reduce the peak external knee adduction moment and are advocated for patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, some patients demonstrate adverse biomechanical effects with treatment. In this study, we examined the immediate effects of lateral and medial wedge insoles under unilateral weight bearing. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty healthy young adults participate...

Paraplegic users of mechanical walking orthoses, e.g. advanced reciprocating gait orthosis (ARGO), often face high energy expenditure and extreme upper body loading during locomotion. We studied the effect of kinematical pattern on the mechanical performance of paraplegic locomotion, in search for an improved gait pattern that leads to lower muscular efforts. A three-dimensional, four segment, ...

Background: Nowadays combined high tibial osteotomy and ACL reconstruction is accepted as a safe and effectivesurgery for patients with symptomatic varus osteoarthritis and anterior knee instability; however, the source of varusdeformity is sometimes the femoral bone. No studies have reported concomitant ACL reconstruction and distal femoralosteotomy in ACL-deficient knees wit...