Effects of ankle-foot orthosis on gait characteristic in children with spastic cerebral palsy / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Due to differences in designs and methods,the results of effects of ankle foot orthosis(AFO)on kinematics,kinetics and energy consumption during walking in children with cerebral palsy remain controversial.OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of AFO on gait characteristics in children with spastic cerebral palsy.METHODS: A total of 21 ambulatory children with cerebral palsy were selected.A plantar pressure gait analysis system was used to perform plantar pressure gait analysis tests of participants when walking with an AFO and without an AFO at the same time of one day,under the same physical condition.All plantar pressure data were recorded,including cadence,cycle time of gait,absolute symmetry index(ASI)of each gait phase,and visualized pressure diagram including dynamic plantar pressure diagram and Center of Gravity's transfer track diagram.Visualized pressure diagrams were described and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Gait cycle time was shortened in the children walking with an AFO compared with walking without an AFO(P< 0.01).ASI of single-foot supporting phase,swing phase,double-foot supporting phase and gait cycle time of children walking with AFO was significantly reduced compared with children walking without AFO(P < 0.05).Center of Gravity's transfer track diagram of children with cerebral palsy was disordered and could not show as butterfly-shape graphics with good symmetry.After wearing an AFO,the diagram became more ordered.Results show that when wearing an AFO,the gait cycle time in gait was shortened,and the cadence was increased; the symmetry of gait was improved,and the general walking ability was increased.Plantar pressure gait analysis technology can be effectively applied to evaluate the balancing ability of children with spastic cerebral palsy in gait using accurate data and visualized diagrams.