In a study published in the April edition of the journal Prosthetics and Orthotics International, researchers concluded that advanced reciprocating gait orthoses (ARGOs) equipped with dorsiflexion-assist AFOs improved gait in patients with spinal cord injury when compared to ARGOs equipped with solid AFOs.
The four patients who participated in the study were fitted alternately with an ARGO equipped with a solid or dorsiflexion-assist AFO and walked at their self-selected speed while joint angles and spatial-temporal parameters were measured and analyzed. The mean walking speed, stride length, and cadence were significantly improved when using the ARGO fitted with a dorsiflexion-assist AFO compared to the ARGO with a solid AFO.
The mean ankle joint ranges of motion also increased significantly when walking with the ARGO with dorsiflexion-assist AFO. Knee joint ranges of motion were reduced and hip joint ranges of motion were increased but neither significantly.
