Soft vs. Traditional AFOs: A Comparative Study on Gait Kinematics, Kinetics, and Muscle Activity.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthotics and Prosthetics
• Neurorehabilitation

Background:

• Foot drop, characterized by reduced toe clearance, impairs gait in neurological conditions.
• Traditional ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) can restrict mobility and cause discomfort.
• Soft AFOs aim to provide support while preserving ankle mobility and comfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the biomechanical and neurophysiological effects of soft AFOs versus traditional AFOs.
• To evaluate gait kinematics, ground reaction forces, and muscle activation with different AFO types.
• To assess the efficacy of soft AFOs as an alternative to traditional AFOs.

Main Methods:

• Gait analysis in 23 neurologically intact individuals using treadmill walking.
• Measurement of sagittal plane kinematics, ground reaction forces, and lower extremity muscle activity.
• Comparison of four AFOs: rigid anterior, flexible posterior leaf spring, and two soft AFOs, against a no-AFO condition.

Main Results:

• Soft AFOs demonstrated increased ankle dorsiflexion velocity, plantarflexion velocity, and plantarflexion angle.
• Soft AFOs maintained or improved swing-phase dorsiflexion compared to traditional AFOs.
• Traditional AFOs reduced propulsive ground reaction forces; rigid AFOs decreased plantarflexor muscle activity.

Conclusions:

• Soft AFOs offer a viable alternative to traditional AFOs, especially when preserving ankle mobility is crucial.
• Significant biomechanical differences exist between soft and traditional AFOs, impacting gait performance.
• Soft AFOs provide functional benefits by enhancing ankle motion and reducing gait limitations.