title: The physiological cost index of walking with a powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis in subjects with poliomyelitis: A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis was developed to provide restriction of knee flexion during stance phase and active flexion and extension of the knee during swing phase of gait.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine its effect on the physiological cost index, walking speed and the distance walked in people with poliomyelitis compared to when walking with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with drop lock knee joints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven subjects with poliomyelitis volunteered for the study and undertook gait analysis with both types of knee-ankle-foot orthosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Walking with the powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis significantly reduced walking speed (p = 0.015) and the distance walked (p = 0.004), and also, it did not improve physiological cost index values (p = 0.009) compared to walking with the locked knee-ankle-foot orthosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis did not significantly improve any of the primary outcome measures during walking for poliomyelitis subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis design did not improve the physiological cost index of walking for people with poliomyelitis when compared to walking with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with drop lock knee joints. This may have been due to the short training period used or the bulky design and additional weight of the powered orthosis. Further research is therefore warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arazpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Monireh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi Bani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Loghman Hakim hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samadian
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: IHSCR, Faculty of Health & Social Care, University of Salford, Manchester, Salford, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hutchins
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Ma.bahramizadeh@uswr.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahramizadeh
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Health Sciences, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mardani
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Poliomyelitis; physiological cost index; powered knee–ankle–foot orthosis; speed of walking and walking distance; swing phase