Objectives: To evaluate the effects of an anterior ankle-foot orthosis (AFO
) on static and dynamic postural stability in hemiplegic patients.
Design: A cross-sectional assessment of hemiplegic subjects with and withou
t an AFO.
Setting: Outpatient department of a rehabilitation hospital.
Patients: A convenience sample of 24 subjects who had been prescribed an an
terior AFO.
Outcome Measures: Postural sway index and postural symmetry (body weight di
stribution through the affected leg) when standing were measured as static
postural stability. Maximal balance range in anterior-posterior and lateral
directions and the affected leg's weight bearing after weight shift to aff
ected side were measured as dynamic postural stability.
Results: When wearing the anterior AFO, there was no significant difference
and small effect size (r < 0.3) in postural sway index (p = .35), postural
symmetry (p = .21), and maximal balance range in anterior-posterior direct
ion (p = .46). There was a significant improvement and large effect size (r
> 0.5) in lateral weight shifting (p < .01) and weight bearing through the
affected leg after weight shifted to the affected side (p < .01).
Conclusions: The significant effects of the anterior AFO in long-term hemip
legic patients were on lateral weight shifting and weight bearing through a
ffected leg after weight shifted to the affected side. Postural sway, postu
ral symmetry, and anterior-posterior weight shifting were not significantly
affected.
(C) 1999 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Americ
an Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.