Stance Controlled AAFO

About

Introduction: Toe walking is when a person walks on their toes without other parts of the foot contacting the floor and it is a common condition in pediatric and orthopedic clinics. Idiopathic toe walkers show a pattern of toe walking yet no signs of neurological, orthopedic, or psychiatric diseases. However, restricted plantar flexion can cause other problems such as gait instability, inefficient propulsion, and discomfort. Conservative articulated ankle-foot orthosis (AAFO) is a commonly prescribed orthosis for idiopathic toe walkers to contain the ankle joint from plantarflexing. However, users have reported discomfort and dissatisfaction resulting from the fact that patients cannot produce enough propulsion force to advance the body efficiently. To solve this problem, there is an unmet for stance-controlled AAFOs where the brace is able to lock and unlock at just the right time while walking. Technology: Georgia State University researchers developed a stance-controlled AAFO with a selectively retractable stop. When the main contact is on the heel, the heel trigger is engaged, and the stance-controlled AAFO is in an unlocked state, allowing the user to have a range of motion. When the forefoot touches the ground, the toe trigger is engaged, and the device triggers the mechanical linkage to lock the device after the toe trigger is unloaded.