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Updated: Jun 27, 2025
Movement Retraining using Real-time Feedback of Performance
Published on: January 17, 2013
Increased trailing limb angle in hemiplegic patients after training with a knee orthosis: A randomized controlled
Shun Ito1,2, Hiroaki Abe2,3, Toru Okanuka4
1PHYSIPO Co., Ltd, Sendai, Japan.
Background:
Stroke often induces gait abnormality, such as buckling knee pattern, compromising walking ability. Previous studies indicated that an adequate trailing limb angle (TLA) is critical for recovering walking ability.
Objective:
We hypothesized that correcting gait abnormality by immobilizing the knee joint using a knee orthosis (KO) would improve walking patterns and increase the TLA, and investigated whether walking training using a KO would increase the TLA in post-stroke patients.
Methods:
In a randomized controlled trial, thirty-four participants were assigned to KO (walking training using a KO) and non-KO (without using a KO) groups. Twenty-nine completed the three-week gait training protocol. TLA was measured at baseline and after training. A two-way repeated ANOVA was performed to evaluate TLA increases with training type and time as test factors. A t-test compared TLA changes (ΔTLA) between the two groups.
Results:
ANOVA showed a main effect for time (F = 64.5, p < 0.01) and interaction (F = 15.4, p < 0.01). ΔTLA was significantly higher in the KO group (14.6±5.8) than in the non-KO group (5.0±7.0, p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Walking training using a KO may be practical and effective for increasing TLA in post-stroke patients.
