ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe any effect of a half palm ankle-foot orthosis and a hollow-heel ankle-foot orthosis on the gait of stroke survivors.Methods:The walking of twenty-five stroke survivors was quantified using a gait analysis system. They walked barefoot, wearing a half palm ankle-foot orthosis and wearing a hollow-heel ankle-foot orthosis. Walking speed, step frequency, duration of the swing phase on the healthy and affected sides, risk of falling and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test times were recorded and analyzed.Results:The average gait frequency when wearing the hollow-heel ankle-foot orthosis was significantly faster than that in the other two conditions. The gait asymmetry coefficient was significantly different when the subjects wore the hollow-heel ankle-foot orthosis compared with walking barefoot. Compared with being barefoot, the average TUG time was significantly shorter when wearing either orthosis and the risk of falling was significantly less. The fall risk was significantly lower when wearing the hollow-heel orthosis compared to the half palm orthosis.Conclusion:Wearing either ankle-foot orthosis can significantly correct the gait of stroke survivors and lower their risk of falling, with better effect when wearing the hollow-heel ankle-foot orthosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of non-surgical spinal decompression (SDS) on the surface electromyogram signals from the paraspinal muscles of patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).Methods Twelve patients diagnosed with L4.5 LDH were recruited and randomly dividcd into an SDS group and a control group,each of 6 according to their order of admission.The SDS group received spinal decompression,while the control group was given lumbar traction.The average surface electromyogram signals (AEMGs) were recorded before,during and after the treatment.Results Before the treatment,the AEMG values collected from the left and right erector spinae and multifidus of the SDS group were already significantly different from those of the control group.During the treatment,the AEMG values collected from the right erector spinae and multifidus of the SDS group remained significantly different from those of the control group.After the treatment,the AEMG values were still significantly different.Conclusions SDS relieves tension and fatigue of the paraspinal muscles better than lumbar traction.
ABSTRACT
Objective To relate the results of surface electromyography (sEMG) of the femoris among patients with hemiplegia after a brain lesion with scores on the modified Ashworth scale (MAS),and to decide whether sEMG can be used as a quantitative index for evaluating spasm.Methods The affected quadriceps femoris of sixty hemiplegic stroke survivors were assessed by the same therapist using the MAS.sEMGs were also recorded and the root mean square and average sEMG readings from the vastus medialis (VM),rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) were extracted.The correlation between these sEMG indexes and the MAS grading was analyzed.Results The average sEMG signals from the VM,RF and VL were strongly correlated with the MAS grading,and they increased with increasing MAS grade.Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated highly significant correlation (P ≤ 0.001) when the quadriceps femoris was moved passively.Conclusions Surface EMG signals from the VM,RF and VL correlate well with MAS grades,rising when the affected quadriceps femoris of a stroke survivor is moved passively.sEMG can present the electrical activity during passive movements of the quadriceps femoris and can be useful in spasticity assessment and clinical treatment.