Energy expenditure and walking ability in stroke patients: Their improvement by ankle-foot orthoses

Abstract

In this study, we performed 6-minutes walking tests using a portable gas analyzer in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis, and examined the effects of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) application on the walking ability and energy expenditure during walking. The subjects were 18 patients with post-stroke hemiparesis, who were admitted to the rehabilitation care unit of our rehabilitation center, and could walk. We performed 6-min walking tests with and without AFO application in these patients, and examined the walking distance and velocity, oxygen consumption (VO $_{2}$ ), and heart rate (HR) during walking. The oxygen consumption per meter(VO $_{2}$ m $^{-1}$ ) and physiological cost index (PCI) were determined as the efficiency of kinetic energy. The difference in the VO $_{2}$ during walking was not significant between application and non-application of the AFO, but the differences in the walking distance and velocity and the VO $_{2}$ m $^{-1}$ and PCI were significant. It was suggested that improvement of the walking ability and reduction of energy expenditure during walking were possible in motion-impaired patients with post-stroke hemiparesis by AFO application.