Design, Construction and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Stance-Control Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Author

Yakimovich, T. ; Koftnan, J. ; Lemaire, E.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. Eng., Ottawa Univ., Ont.

fYear

2006

Firstpage

6934

Lastpage

6941

Abstract

A new electromechanical stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis (SCKAFO) was designed to provide improved gait for people with knee-extensor weakness. This SCKAFO inhibits knee flexion at any knee angle while allowing knee extension during weight bearing. During swing or other non-weight bearing activities, the SCKAFO allows free knee motion. A prototype joint was mechanically tested to determine the moment at failure, loading behaviour, and device safety. Quantitative kinematic gait analysis of three able-bodied subjects and three knee-ankle-foot-orthosis (KAFO) users showed that the new SCKAFO had a desired minimal effect on able-bodied walking gait. The SCKAFO permitted a mean increase in sagittal knee motion (488%) during swing for the three KAFO users and a reduction in pelvic obliquity and hip abduction angle abnormalities during terminal stance and swing for two KAFO users

Keywords

failure (mechanical); gait analysis; medical control systems; orthotics; abduction angle abnormalities; device safety; electromechanical stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis; failure; free knee motion; knee extension; knee flexion; knee-extensor weakness; loading behaviour; pelvic obliquity; quantitative kinematic gait analysis; sagittal knee motion; swing; walking gait; weight bearing; Hip; Kinematics; Knee; Leg; Legged locomotion; Muscles; Orthotics; Prototypes; Research and development; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2005. IEEE-EMBS 2005. 27th Annual International Conference of the

Conference_Location

Shanghai

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8741-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2005.1616101

Filename

1616101