Shoe-Type Walking Assist Device with Controllable Subtalar Joint Alignment at Heel Contact

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Robotics
• Gerontology

Background:

• Subtalar joint instability can affect gait and quality of life in elderly and young individuals.
• Current assistive devices often lack dynamic control over frontal plane joint motion during the gait cycle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a shoe-type walking assist device designed to control the subtalar joint's inversion/eversion angle during heel contact.
• To improve long-term quality of life by promoting neutral subtalar joint alignment during gait.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel shoe-type walking assist device with a dynamic heel mechanism.
• Experimental comparison of lateral sway during stepping with and without the device in 5 healthy male subjects.
• Focus on controlling the frontal plane rotation of the heel to influence subtalar joint alignment.

Main Results:

• The proposed mechanism dynamically rotates the heel in the frontal plane upon ground contact.
• Demonstrated reduction in lateral sway during stepping movements when using the assistive device.
• Effectiveness validated through comparative analysis of gait parameters in human subjects.

Conclusions:

• The shoe-type walking assist device shows potential for improving gait stability by controlling subtalar joint alignment.
• This technology could enhance the quality of life for both elderly individuals and young healthy people by mitigating instability.
• Further research is warranted to explore long-term benefits and applications across different populations.