title: Ankle-foot orthosis function in low-level myelomeningocele.
abstract: Six children with low-level myelomeningocele underwent gait analysis. All showed excessive ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion when walking barefoot. A rigid thermoplastic ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) improved gait by preventing ankle dorsiflexion and reducing knee flexion. Biomechanically, the AFO caused a reduction in external knee moment by aligning the knee with the ground reaction force. Small changes in the foot-shank angle of the orthosis had profound effects on knee mechanics. Knee hyperextension could be controlled by a rocker sole. Kinetic gait analysis permits understanding of the biomechanical effects of orthoses.
authors.affiliation: Princess Margaret Rose Orthopaedic Hospital, Edinburg, Scotland.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hullin
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Robb
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Loudon
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001835:Body Weight; D001915:Braces; D002648:Child; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*