An anterior ankle-foot orthosis improves walking economy in Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients

View/ open
Author
Menotti, F.
Laudani, Luca
Damiani, A.
Mignogna, T.
Macaluso, A.
Date
2014-10Type
Article
Publisher
SAGE
ISSN
0309-3646
1746-1553 (online)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background:
Ankle-foot orthoses are commonly prescribed in Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A disease to improve quality of walking and reduce the risk of falling due to the foot drop.
Objectives:
This study aimed at assessing the effect of an anterior ankle-foot orthosis on walking economy in a group of Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients.
Study design:
Within-group comparisons.
Methods:
7 Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients (four women and three men; 37 ± 11 years; age range = 22–53 years) were asked to walk on a circuit at their self-selected speeds (‘slow’, ‘comfortable’ and ‘fast’) in two walking conditions: (1) with shoes only and (2) with Taloelast® anterior elastic ankle-foot orthoses. Speed of walking and metabolic cost of walking energy cost per unit of distance were assessed at the three self-selected speeds of walking for both walking conditions.
Results:
Speed of walking at the three self-selected speeds did not differ between shoes only and anterior elastic ankle-foot orthoses, whereas walking energy cost per unit of distance at comfortable speed was lower in patients using anterior elastic ankle-foot orthoses with respect to shoes only (2.39 ± 0.22 vs 2.70 ± 0.19 J kg−1 m−1; P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
In Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients, the use of anterior elastic ankle-foot orthoses improved walking economy by reducing the energy cost of walking per unit of distance, thus reflecting a lower level of metabolic effort and improved mechanical efficiency in comparison with shoes only.
Clinical relevance:
From a practical perspective, Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients with anterior elastic ankle-foot orthoses can walk for a longer duration with a lower level of physical effort. Improvements in walking economy due to ankle-foot orthoses are likely a consequence of the reduction in steppage gait.
Journal/conference proceeding
Prosthetics and Orthotics International;
Citation
Menotti, F., Laudani, L., Damiani, A., Mignogna, T. and Macaluso, A. (2014) 'An anterior ankle-foot orthosis improves walking economy in Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 1A patients', Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 38(5), pp.387-392
Description
Article published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International available at https://doi.org/10.1177/0309364613506250
Collections
- Sport Research Groups [620]
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
Comparison of walking energy cost between an anterior and a posterior ankle-foot orthosis in people with foot drop
Menotti, F.; Laudani, Luca; Damiani, A.; Orlando, P.; Macaluso, A. (Foundation for Rehabilitation Information, 2014-01)Objective: To compare walking energy cost between an anterior and a posterior ankle-foot orthosis in people with foot drop. Design: Within-group comparisons. Participants: Twenty-three adults (14 women, 9 men; mean age ... -
Influence and benefits of foot orthoses on kinematics, kinetics and muscle activation during step descent task
Bonifácio, Douglas; Richards, Jim; Selfe, James; Curran, Sarah; Trede, Renato (Elsevier, 2018-07-24)Background = Medial wedged foot orthoses are frequently prescribed to reduce retropatellar stress in patients with patellofemoral pain (PFP) by controlling calcaneal eversion and internal rotation of the tibia. During ... -
The influence of trunk extension in using advanced reciprocating gait orthosis on walking in spinal cord injury patients: A pilot study
Arazpour, Mokhtar; Gharib, Masoud; Hutchins, Stephen W.; Ahmadi Bani, Monireh; Curran, Sarah; Ebrahim Mousavi, Mohammad; Saberi, Hooshang (SAGE, 2014-05-12)Background: Spinal cord injury patients walk with a flexed trunk when using reciprocating gait orthoses. Reduction of trunk flexion during ambulation may produce an improvement in gait parameters for reciprocating gait ...