Functional Design in Rehabilitation: Modular Mechanisms for Ankle Complex

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Engineering
• Medical Device Design

Background:

• The human ankle's complex, integrated joint structure presents challenges for rehabilitation.
• Existing methods for gait defect correction often lack targeted ankle mobility support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an innovative ankle rehabilitation device utilizing a parallel mechanism.
• To enable stationary ankle movement for patients with walking defects, facilitating gait improvement.

Main Methods:

• Functional analysis and design of a parallel mechanism for ankle rehabilitation.
• Kinematics analysis and functional evaluations based on motion data from healthy individuals and patients.
• Development of an articulated system focused on plantar-flexion-dorsiflexion movement.

Main Results:

• Accurate modeling of ankle movements during walking informed the robust design.
• Simulation results support the effectiveness of the proposed rehabilitation device.
• A 3D prototype successfully demonstrated the intended ankle motion.

Conclusions:

• The developed parallel mechanism device offers a promising solution for ankle rehabilitation.
• The device design effectively addresses the need for controlled ankle movement in patients with gait impairments.