OBJECTIVE This study compares the effect of wrist immobilization with non-immobilization on shoulder abduction, shoulder flexion, and shoulder rotation during feeding. METHOD Twenty right-hand-dominant participants with no upper-extremity dysfunction performed a controlled feeding activity under 2 separate wrist conditions: (1) while wearing a static wrist orthosis and (2) with the wrist not ...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) on the outcome of balance assessment. METHODS Ten healthy subjects participated in clinical tests of balance with and without bilateral ankle foot orthoses (AFOs). The following clinical tests were performed: the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (MCTSIB), the Limits of Stabili...

In the area of physiotherapy, specifically in the case of cranial orthoses, many times, research often fails to meet practical requirements that will only be noticed by specialists in the subject. The studies may even have a good question, an adequate hypothesis, and although the design is considered ideal, even a randomized clinical trial may lose its strength if the applied practice and data ...

CONTEXT Taping and orthoses are frequently applied to control excessive foot pronation to treat or prevent musculoskeletal pain and injury of the lower limb. The mechanism(s) by which these devices bring about their clinical effects are at best speculative and require systematic evaluation. OBJECTIVE To determine the initial effect of the augmented low Dye taping technique (ALD) on plantar fo...

Upper extremity motion in humans is complex and irregular. An orthosis designer cannot count on cyclic procedures or repetitions. When designing a bracing system for the upper limb, this complexity is challenging and therefore it is essential to know about the necessary torques, angular velocities and joint ranges. In this study, we took a closer look at tasks associated with daily living and d...

1 Physiotherapist, Master in Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo. 2 Student, Course of Physiotherapy, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo. 3 Professor, Course of Physiotherapy, Department of Biomechanics, Medicine, and Rehabilitation of the Locomotor System at the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade ...

BACKGROUND Despite emerging evidence that foot problems and inappropriate footwear increase the risk of falls, there is little evidence as to whether foot-related intervention strategies can be successfully implemented. The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence rates, barriers to adherence, and the predictors of adherence to a multifaceted podiatry intervention for the prevention of falls...

This paper presents the current progress behind the development of the mobile robot based gait rehabilitation system MOPASS. Combining an actuated orthosis with a mobile platform, the developed system provides required mobility of the patient and enables the gait training under realistic conditions. Besides mobility, the system offers doctors and therapists an efficient specification of therapy...

Robot-assisted physical gait therapy is gaining recognition among the rehabilitation engineering community. Several robotic orthoses for the treatment of gait impairments have been developed during the last 2 decades, many of which are designed to provide physical therapy to a single joint of the lower limb; these are reviewed here. The mechanism design and actuation concepts for these single j...

BACKGROUND Improved gait efficiency is one of the goals of therapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Postural insoles can allow more efficient gait by improving biomechanical alignment. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the combination of postural insoles and ankle-foot orthoses on static and functional balance in children with CP. METHOD A randomize...