Innovative Design and Development of Personalized Ankle-Foot Orthoses for Survivors of Stroke With Equinovarus Foot: Protocol for a Feasibility and Comparative Trial

Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are vital in gait rehabilitation for patients with stroke. However, many conventional AFO designs may not offer the required precision for optimized patient outcomes. With the advent of 3D scanning and printing technology, there is potential for more individualized AFO sol...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:JMIR research protocols 2024-04, Vol.13, p.e52365-e52365
Main Authors: Silva, Rui, Morouço, Pedro, Lains, Jorge, Amorim, Paula, Alves, Nuno, Veloso, António Prieto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ankle
Biomechanics
Consent
Medical personnel
Mortality
Orthopedic apparatus
Patient satisfaction
Professional ethics
Protocol
Software
Stroke
Survivor
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are vital in gait rehabilitation for patients with stroke. However, many conventional AFO designs may not offer the required precision for optimized patient outcomes. With the advent of 3D scanning and printing technology, there is potential for more individualized AFO solutions, aiming to enhance the rehabilitative process. This nonrandomized trial seeks to introduce and validate a novel system for AFO design tailored to patients with stroke. By leveraging the capabilities of 3D scanning and bespoke software solutions, the aim is to produce orthoses that might surpass conventional designs in terms of biomechanical effectiveness and patient satisfaction. A distinctive 3D scanner, complemented by specialized software, will be developed to accurately capture the biomechanical data of leg movements during gait in patients with stroke. The acquired data will subsequently guide the creation of patient-specific AFO designs. These personalized orthoses will be provided to participants, and their efficacy will be compared with traditional AFO models. The qualitative dimensions of this experience will be evaluated using the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction With Assistive Technology (QUEST) assessment tool. Feedback from health care professionals and the participants will be considered throughout the trial to ensure a rounded understanding of the system's implications. Spatial-temporal parameters will be statistically compared using paired t tests to determine significant differences between walking with the personalized orthosis, the existing orthosis, and barefoot conditions. Significant differences will be identified based on P values, with P
ISSN:1929-0748
1929-0748
DOI:10.2196/52365