Putting the spring-cam back into stroke patients steps

Date:
July 22, 2020
Source:
Tohoku University
Summary:
A research group has developed a new, lightweight and motor-less
device that can be easily attached to an ankle support device -
otherwise known as an ankle foot orthosis (AFO). The new device
will aid stroke patients in their rehabilitation, improving their
walking and preventing falls.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A research group has developed a new, lightweight and motor-less device
that can be easily attached to an ankle support device -- otherwise known
as an ankle foot orthosis (AFO). The new device will aid stroke patients
in their rehabilitation, improving their walking and preventing falls.


========================================================================== Stroke patients often suffer from motor paralysis as a result of damage
to the brain, significantly affecting their walking. Gaits disorder, as
it is otherwise known, results in restrictive disabilities and increased
health care costs.

Rehabilitation is key to stroke recovery. Yet around 40% of stroke
patients struggle to function properly due to problems with their
walking abilities.

One part of the problem is due to insufficient knee bending, or knee
flexion, during walking. This leads to lower toe clearance -- the distance between the toe and the ground when the foot swings forward -- and causes patients to fall.

To overcome this, patients frequently hip hike on the affected side,
a process by which the patient elevates one side of their hip to move
their foot. This makes patients walking movement awkward and decreases
their motivation in rehabilitation.

Comprised of Professor Shin-Ichi Izumi and Associate Professor Dai Owaki
from Tohoku University's Graduate Schools of Medicine and Graduate School
of Engineering along with Mr. Takeo Nozaki and Dr. Ken-ichiro Fukushi from
NEC Corporation, the research group created a device which gives the ankle greater push-off power using a spring-cam mechanism. The elliptical shaped
cam rotates in conjunction with the AFO, pushing against the spring. The resultant reactive force from the spring generates significant ankle
push-off power.

The research group conducted clinical experiments on 11 stroke patients
with paralysis on one side of the body, demonstrating that the device
generated greater ankle power. This in turn aided knee flexion whilst
the affected foot was in the swing phase of walking -- i.e. when the
foot is raised in the air.

"Our device will pave the way for positive impacts on the rehabilitation
of stroke patients," said Associate Professor Owaki. He adds, "It will
prevent falls and make patients feel more confident in their walking abilities."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Tohoku_University. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Yusuke Sekiguchi, Dai Owaki, Keita Honda, Kenichiro Fukushi,
Noriyoshi
Hiroi, Takeo Nozaki, Shin-ichi Izumi. Ankle-foot orthosis with
dorsiflexion resistance using spring-cam mechanism increases
knee flexion in the swing phase during walking in stroke patients
with hemiplegia.

Gait & Posture, 2020; 81: 27 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.06.029 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200722095524.htm

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