A sock for foot-drop: a preliminary study on two chronic stroke patients
Sarah Prenton1, Laurence Pj Kenney2, Glen Cooper3
1School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK S.Prenton@salford.ac.uk.
Prosthetics and Orthotics International
|October 11, 2013
Summary
The dorsiflex sock, an alternative to ankle foot orthoses for stroke patients with foot-drop, showed no clear effectiveness in improving walking despite positive user perceptions.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Assistive devices
Background:
- Foot-drop is a common impairment in chronic stroke survivors.
- Ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly prescribed but face compliance issues.
- The dorsiflex sock presents a potential alternative to traditional AFOs.
Observation:
- A single-case experimental design (A-B) was employed.
- Two community-dwelling chronic stroke patients with foot-drop participated.
- Measures assessed function across the ICF domains, including user perceptions.
Findings:
- The dorsiflex sock did not significantly improve walking symmetry, speed, or energy expenditure.
- One participant showed a 6-minute walk distance improvement, consistent with overall study trends.
- Both participants reported positive subjective experiences and perceived benefits to their walking.
Implications:
- The dorsiflex sock, while user-accepted, lacks clear evidence of efficacy for foot-drop.
- Further research is needed to validate the effectiveness of the dorsiflex sock.
- Clinicians should exercise caution when considering the dorsiflex sock for stroke patients.
