Objective: To investigate the changes of gait patterns in hemiplegic patients with ankle foot orthosis (AFO) and with functional electrical stimulation (FES).
Method: Fifteen hemiplegic patients who can walk independently with cane participated in this study. Kinematic gait analysis was performed for all subjects using three-dimensional gait analysis system in barefoot, wearing AFO, and applying FES. The mean values of each gait trials were taken and statistically analysed by repeated measures of ANOVA.
Results: Genu recurvatum at stance phase and excessive ankle plantar flexion at stance and swing phase were decreased after wearing AFO. Excessive ankle plantar flexion at swing phase were decreased after applying FES.
Conclusion: The results showed that the FES is useful for the correction of hemiplegic gait as mush as of wearing AFO.
