title: Effects of an anterior ankle-foot orthosis on walking mobility in stroke patients: get up and go and stair walking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of an anterior ankle-foot orthosis (AAFO) on walking mobility in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional and repeated-measures study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university's neurologic rehabilitation department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulant stroke patients (N=21).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Walking mobility was measured by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the Timed Up and Down Stairs (TUDS) test. The paired t test was used to determine the difference between the mobility performances measured with and without the AAFO.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences between mobility performances with and without an AAFO in the TUG test (P=.038) and the TUDS test (P=.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the effect of an AAFO on walking mobility in stroke patients. The findings demonstrate that stroke patients wearing an AAFO may ambulate with greater speed and safety on level surfaces and stairs.
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan; Occupational Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiung-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan; Occupational Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan; Occupational Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Zon
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Room of Occupational Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, Cishan Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan; Occupational Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fen-Fen
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan; Occupational Therapy Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. Electronic address: gordon@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Kwok-Tak
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D061826:Foot Orthoses; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Foot orthoses; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Walking