Title :
Design, Construction and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Stance-Control Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis
Author :
Yakimovich, T. ; Kofman, J. ; Lemaire, E.
Author_Institution :
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada, phone: 613-247-0110; fax: 613-737-4260; (e-mail: terrisy@gmail.com).
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 :
Hip; Kinematics; Knee; Leg; Legged locomotion; Muscles; Orthotics; Prototypes; Research and development; Testing;
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
DOI :
10.1109/IEMBS.2005.1616934
