Previous publications have reported on the flexibility of ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) only in the same plane as the applied load. This paper reports on a test apparatus developed to detect the flexibility of an AFO in 5 degrees of freedom when subjected to a plantar/dorsiflexion moment, a medial/lateral moment or a torque. A moment applied to an AFO in one plane induces angulation and translation in all planes.
References
1.
ChowanibcZ. Effects of of polypropylene anklefoot orthoses on hemiplegic gait. Ph.D thesis., University of Strathclyde, Glasgow1983
CondieDMeadowsCB. Some biomechanical considerations in the design of ankle-foot orthoses. Orthot Prosthet1977; 31(3)45–52
4.
GolayWLunsfordTLunsfordB RGreenfieldJ. The effect of malleolar prominence on polypropylene AFO rigidity and buckling. J Prosthet Orthot1989; 1: 231–241
MiyazakiSYamamotoSEbinaMIwasakiM. A system for the continuous measurement of ankle joint moment in hemiplegic patients wearing ankle-foot orthoses. Front Med Biol Eng1993; 5: 215–232
7.
RaschkeS. The influence of AFO design on walking speed, gait symmetry, comfort and stability on hemiplegic subjects. Ph.D thesis., University of Strathclyde, Glasgow1997
8.
RubinGDixonM. The modern ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Bull Prosthet Res1973; 10(19)20–41
9.
SumiyaTSuzukiYKasaharaT. Stiffness control in posterior-type plastic ankle-foot orthoses: effect of ankle trimline. Part 1: a device for measuring ankle moment. Prosthet Orthot Int1996; 20: 129–131
10.
SumiyaTSuzukiYKasaharaT. Stiffness control in posterior-type plastic ankle-foot orthoses: effect of ankle trimline. Part 2: orthosis characteristics and orthosis/patient matching. Prosthet Orthot Int1996; 20: 132–137
11.
WardE GW. A method for measuring the mechanical characteristics of plastic ankle-foot orthoses. M.Sc. thesis., University of Strathclyde, Glasgow1987
12.
YamamotoSEbinaMIwasakiMKuboSKawaiHHayashiT. Comparative study of mechanical characteristics of plastic AFOs. Prosthet Orthot1993; 5: 59–64
