ABSTRACT
Foot and ankle problems are common complications in rheumatoid arthritis disease. Gait pattern such as normal foot and ankle rocker is impaired in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rocker sole as an external shoe modification is commonly prescribed in this pathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of rocker shoe on vertical ground reaction force parameters during walking in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Sixteen female participants with rheumatoid arthritis were recruited in this study. All patients were prepared with a pair of high-top, heel-to-toe rocker shoe and were asked to wear the shoes for one month. Ground reaction force parameters including peak forces and peak force times were evaluated in the first session, and after seven days and thirty days follow up were carried on. First maximal vertical force was significantly increased with rocker shoe compared to barefoot after 7 days follow up. Walking with rocker shoe reduced the minimal vertical force after 7 days. The second maximal vertical force showed to be statistically lower with rocker shoe than barefoot after 7 and 30 days. Furthermore, stance time decreased with rocker shoe after one month. Results of this study revealed that vertical ground reaction force parameters changed in rheumatoid arthritis patients with heel-to-toe rocker shoe, both immediately and after one month follow up. This might suggest the effectiveness of rocker shoes in improving gait in rheumatoid arthritis patients
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This paper describes further improvement and preliminarily evaluation of a novel viscoelastic ankle-foot prosthesis prototype. The objective was to control the ankle hysteresis at slow and normal walking speeds.
Methods: Inspired by the ankle biomechanics, in which the hysteresis differs based on the gait speeds, a manually damping control mechanism imbedded in the prosthesis for adjusting the ankle damping at slow and normal walking speeds. The prototype was then preliminarily tested on an able-bodied subject wearing an adaptor which simulates the amputee walking. The ankle joint kinetics and kinematics were measured in a gait analysis lab at different walking speeds.
Results: The results suggest that the viscoelastic ankle foot prosthesis prototype could provide a smooth normal-like walking for most of the measured gait characteristics in slow and normal speeds.
Discussion: Therefore, it is suggested to apply a controllable damping mechanism based on the gait speeds in the design of new prosthetic feet.
ABSTRACT
Hallux Valgus is one of the most common foot deformities which could change the foot bones' alignment and plantar pressure distribution. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of toe separator on plantar pressure redistribution in subjects with Hallux Valgus. This was a quasi-experimental study with IRCT code IRCT2013090314554N1.20 females with Hallux Valgus were recruited between students/staff of university of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences. The plantar pressure was measured by Pedar-X insole system. Tests were consisted of two walking trials: wearing standard shoe only and shoe with toe separator. The variables included peak pressure, force and contact area wear calculated for five regions in forefoot. Using toe separator, maximum pressure was significantly reduced in the big toe [199.7 +/- 45.9, 171.6 +/- 44.8] and first metatarsal [122.7 +/- 26.9, 111.1 +/- 35.1] and increased in 2-5th toes [69.9 +/- 15.3, 74.8 +/- 17.3]. Also the contact area was significantly reduced in 2-5th toes [15.5 +/- 2.2, 16.1 +/- 2.1].there was no significant value in any variable at second metatarsal. The result of this study showed that toe separator could change plantar pressure distribution in the big toe and first metatarsal head area. Furthermore it could change plantar pressure pattern in Hallux Valgus subject to the more normal pattern