title: Effect of ankle-foot orthosis on postural control after stroke: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is currently the main cause of permanent disability in adults. The impairments are a combination of sensory, motor, cognitive and emotional changes that result in restrictions on the ability to perform basic activities of daily living (BADL). Postural control is affected and causes problems with static and dynamic balance, thus increasing the risk of falls and secondary injuries. The purpose of this review was to compile the literature to date, and assess the impact of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) on postural control and gait in individuals who have suffered a stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The review included randomised and controlled trials that examined the effects of AFO in stroke patients between 18 and 80 years old, with acute or chronic evolution. No search limits on the date of the studies were included, and the search lasted until April 2011. The following databases were used: Pubmed, Trip Database, Cochrane library, Embase, ISI Web Knowledge, CINHAL and PEDro. Intervention succeeded in improving some gait parameters, such as speed and cadence. However it is not clear if there was improvement in the symmetry, postural sway or balance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the limitations of this systematic review, due to the clinical diversity of the studies and the methodological limitations, 0these results should be considered with caution.
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia, Patología Neurológica, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España. Electronic address: francisco.molina@urjc.es.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerra Padilla
authors.affiliation: Fisioterapia, Patología Neurológica, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molina Rueda
authors.affiliation: Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Alguacil Diego
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D061826:Foot Orthoses; D006429:Hemiplegia; D006801:Humans; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D004856:Postural Balance; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation