A COMPARISON OF PARAPLEGIC GAIT PERFORMANCE USING 2 TYPES OF RECIPROCATING GAIT ORTHOSES

This study examined the energy cost of ambulation using the reciprocat ing gait orthosis (RGO) and the modified Isocentric RGO in paraplegic spinal cord injured subjects. In 4 subjects, the rates of O2 consumpti on per minute, O2 cost per metre, heart rate (HR), respiratory exchang e ratio, velocity, and physiologic cost index (PCI) were measured duri ng ambulation with the two orthotic devices. PCI was calculated by div iding the difference between walking and resting HR by velocity. PCI w as significantly lower during ambulation trials with the Isocentric RG O compared to the RGO, but was the only measurement that detected a si gnificant difference beween the two orthotic devices. These results in dicate that energy costs of ambulation at self-selected speeds were lo wer with the Isocentric RGO compared to the standard RGO. Furthermore, PCI could be used as a sensitive indicator of gait efficiency in spin al cord injury subjects.