Effect of an unrestricted knee-ankle-foot orthosis on the stance phase of gait in healthy persons.
Twenty healthy women (mean age: 25 +/- 3.6 years) were studied for postural adaptations produced when walking with unrestricted knee-ankle-foot orthoses. Stride characteristics, motion, floor reaction forces and their torques, and indwelling electromyographic activity of the lower gluteus maximus, as well as the long head of the biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, and soleus muscles were all measured during barefoot and orthosis walking. Wearing a knee-ankle-foot orthosis increased stride length and decreased cadence and stance duration. The subjects walked in slightly more plantar flexion, knee flexion, and hip flexion, while increasing the duration of the corresponding floor reaction torques, resulting in an activity increase of the vastus lateralis, soleus, and biceps femoris muscles. These results, obtained in healthy subjects, show a definite effect of an unrestricted knee-ankle-foot orthosis on gait.
Cerny
K
K
Physical Therapy Department, California State University, Long Beach 90840.
Perry
J
J
Walker
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D001915:Braces; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D011187:Posture; D016138:Walking