title: The influence of new medial linkage orthosis on walking and independence in spinal cord injury patients: a pilot study.
abstract: In an effort to overcome the disadvantages of reciprocating gait orthoses (RGOs) and medial linkage orthoses (MLOs), a new design of MLO was developed. Therefore the aim of this study was comparison effect of a new reciprocating MLO and traditional isocentric RGO on gait parameters and functional independence (orthosis donning and doffing time) in spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects to provide more evidence of its efficacy. Four people with motor incomplete SCI participated in this study. Each participant was fitted with an MLO and isocentric reciprocating gait orthosis (IRGO) to enable a comparison of walking speed, cadence and endurance to be performed. There were no statistically significant differences demonstrated in temporal-spatial parameters between the orthotic walking conditions in this study, but walking with the MLO improved the stride length and speed of walking by 28.57 and 40.9% compared with walking with an IRGO as a control condition. Hip flexion occurred predominantly during single-support phases, with negligible motion during double-support phases. The first and second Subjects had hip kinematic pattern more near normal when they walked with medial linkage reciprocal gait orthosis (MLRGO) in comparison with IRGO. There was significant difference between donning and doffing in two conditions (P=0.046) but there was not significant difference between two conditions in standing and sitting although these two conditions improved by new MLO. The new MLO provided a quicker and more independent gait compared with IRGO, in addition the new MLO made it easier for subjects to get from sitting to standing and from standing to sitting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Monireh Ahmadi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bani
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arazpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzam
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farahmand
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ebrahim
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mousavi
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, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza Vahab
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Kashani
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Salford , Salford, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen William
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hutchins
keywords: Health care; Rehabilitation