FOOT AND ANKLE BIOMECHANICS WITH ORTHOSIS AMBULATION

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）：该项目涉及 在严重的下肢功能障碍患者中， 踝关节或后足关节炎，需要使用标准 踝足矫形器（AFO）或后足矫形器（关节式、非关节式） 关节），并锁定脚踝或后足的稳定性， 步态这些患者有僵硬的关节炎，关节疼痛， 削弱了他们行走的能力。目前，这类患者 配备了传统的刚性聚丙烯AFO，以限制运动。 这些装置限制踝关节、后足和中足运动， 走路这可能会产生效率低下的步态，不必要的步态， 未受影响的关节，虚弱的患者可能无法耐受 因为他们的体重或双侧损伤。这个目标 项目是测试两个轻量级后足矫形器（铰接和 非关节型）和标准AFO， 三种不同的行走环境 在水平，边坡和坡道行走，他们建议：1）执行 正常人三种矫形器步态模式的客观测量 测试这三种矫形器的表现， 踝关节或距下关节炎患者。这些研究的结果 有望改善关节炎患者步态的疗效 需要常规AFO治疗的患者此外，患者 关节炎，这些矫形器将是有用的病人踝关节 不稳定、距下不稳定和神经肌肉疾病。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): This project deals with the issue of restoring lower limb function in patients with severe arthritis of the ankle or hindfoot who require the use of a standard ankle foot orthosis (AFO) or hindfoot orthosis (articulated, non- articulated) and to lock the ankle or hindfoot for stability during gait. These patients have stiff, arthritic joints which are painful and impair their ability to walk. Currently, these types of patients are fitted with a conventional rigid polypropylene AFO to limit movement. These devices restrict ankle, hindfoot, and midfoot movement during walking. This may produce inefficient gait, unnecessarily immobilize unaffected joints, and may not be tolerated by debilitated patients because of their weight or bilateral impairments. The goal of this project is to test two lightweight hindfoot orthoses (articulated and non-articulated) and a standard AFO in normal and arthritic subjects in three different walking environments. In level, side-slope, and ramp walking, they propose to: 1) perform objective measurements of gait patterns for the three orthoses in normal subjects; and 2) test the performance of these three orthoses in patients with ankle or subtalar arthritis. The results of these studies are expected to improve the efficacy of gait in patients with arthritis who require conventional AFO treatment. In addition to patients with arthritis, these orthoses will be useful for patients with ankle instability, subtalar instability, and neuromuscular disorders.