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Gait Characteristics Following Stroke: A Prospective Crossover Study to Compare Ankle-Foot Orthosis with Functional
Gourav Sannyasi1, Rajdeep Ojha2, Navin B Prakash3
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Neurology India
|November 10, 2022
Summary
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) improved gait and patient satisfaction more than ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for stroke patients with foot-drop. FES shows promise as an effective orthotic intervention for hemiplegia.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Foot-drop following stroke impacts mobility and quality of life.
- Ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) are common interventions.
- Limited evidence exists comparing FES efficacy to AFO for post-stroke foot-drop.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of FES versus AFO in managing foot-drop in stroke patients.
- To evaluate functional gait parameters and patient satisfaction between FES and AFO.
Main Methods:
- A prospective crossover trial involving 20 stroke patients with foot-drop.
- Participants underwent gait training with AFO and FES in alternating weeks.
- Outcome measures included walking tests (10-meter, 6-minute, TUG), spatiotemporal gait analysis, and patient satisfaction questionnaires.
Main Results:
- FES significantly improved 10-meter and 6-minute walk tests, gait speed, TUG, stance-swing ratio, and single-limb support compared to AFO and barefoot walking.
- Patient satisfaction scores were higher with FES.
- A trend towards improvement in Physiological Cost Index (PCI) was observed with FES.
Conclusions:
- FES demonstrated superior effectiveness over AFO in improving gait parameters for stroke patients with foot-drop.
- FES can be considered a viable orthotic intervention for hemiplegic patients.
- Higher patient satisfaction suggests FES offers a better user experience.
