title: Real-time feedback of dynamic foot pressure index for gait training of toe-walking children with spastic diplegia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether and how real-time feedback of dynamic foot pressure index (DFPI) could be used to correct toe-walking gait in spastic diplegic children with dynamic equinus.
  
  
  
  Thirteen spastic diplegic children with dynamic equinus were asked to wear a monitoring device to record their ambulation during daily gait, conventional training gait, and feedback training gait. Parameters based on their DFPI and stride duration were compared among the three test conditions.
  
  
  
  The results with feedback training were significantly better for all DFPI parameters in comparison to patients' daily gait and showed significant improvements in DFPI for toe-walking gait and percentage of normal gait in comparison to conventional training methods. Moreover, stride duration under two training gaits was longer than patient's daily gait, but there was no significant difference between the two training gaits.
  
  
  
  Although the stride duration for the two training gaits was similar, gait training with real-time feedback of DFPI did produce noticeably superior results by increasing heel-loading impulse of toe-walking gait and percentage of normal gait in comparison to convention training methods. However, its effectiveness was still impacted by the motion limitations of diplegic children. Implications for Rehabilitation The DFPI-based gait training feedback system introduced in this study was shown to be more effective at toe-walking gait rehabilitation training over conventional training methods. The feedback system accomplished superior improvement in correcting toe-walking gait, but its effectiveness in an increasing heel-loading impulse in normal gait was still limited by the motion limitations of diplegic children. Stride duration of normal gait and toe-walking gait was similar under conventional and feedback gait training.
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems , Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.|b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Pu
authors: b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Weiyan
authors: W
authors: Ren
authors: b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Xiaoya
authors: X
authors: Fan
authors: b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Chen
authors: b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Shuyu
authors: S
authors: Li
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems , Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.|b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Deyu
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems , Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.|b Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids of Ministry of Civil Affair , School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University , Beijing , P. R. China.|c National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids , Beijing , P. R. China.
authors: Yubo
authors: Y
authors: Fan
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004863:Equinus Deformity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D005684:Gait; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure
keywords: Dynamic foot pressure index; gait training; real-time feedback; spastic diplegia; stride duration; toe-walking gait