• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.948-956
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a prototype KAFO (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis) powered by two artificial pneumatic muscles during walking. We had previously built powered AFO (Ankle-Foot Orthosis) and KO (Knee Orthosis) and used it effectively in studies on assistance of plantaflexion and knee extension motion. Extending the previous study to a KAFO presented additional challenges related to the assistance of gait motion for rehabilitation training. Five healthy males were performed gait motion on treadmill wearing KAFO equipped with artificial pneumatic muscles to power ankle plantaflexion and knee extension. Subjects walked on treadmill at 1.5 km/h under four conditions without extensive practice: 1) without wearing KAFO, 2) wearing KAFO with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing KAFO powered only in plantaflexion under feedforward control, and 4) wearing KAFO powered both in plantaflexion and knee extension under feedforward control. We collected surface electromyography, foot pressure and kinematics of ankle and knee joint. The experimental result showed that a muscular strength of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be lower due to pneumatic assistance and foot pressure of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be greater due to power assistance. In the result of motion analysis, the ankle angle of powered KAFO in terminal stance phase was found a peak value toward plantaflexion and there were difference of maximum knee flexion range among condition 2, 3 and 4 in mid-swing phase. The current orthosis design provided plantaflexion torque of ankle jonit in terminal stance phase and knee extension torque of knee joint in mid-swing phase.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.330-335
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• 2004

The needs of walking assistive device such as the Ankle Foot Orthosis (A.F.O.) are getting greater than before. However, most of the A.F.O. are generally imported rather than domestic manufacturing. The major reason of high import reliability is the rack of impact properties of domestic commercial products. Therefore, this research is going to focus on the evaluation of impact properties of the A.F.O. which has the high import reliability. Unfortunately, these kinds of researches are not performed sufficiently. This research is going to evaluate impact energy behavior in composite materials such as the glass/epoxy (S-glass, $[0/90]_{2S}$) and the aramid/epoxy (Kevlar-29, woven type, 8 ply) of ankle foot orthosis. The approach methods were as follows. 1) The history of impact load and impact energy due to the various velocities. 2) Relationship between the deflection and damage shape according to the impact velocities. 3) The behavior of absorbed energy and residual strength rate due to the various impact velocities.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.728-733
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• 2001

The subject of this paper is to perform the basic research to make design guide as finding out the structural characteristics of polypropylene Ankle Foot Orthosis(AFO) for hemiplegics. Target shape of AFO is a solid standard type. In this study we measure ridity as dorsiflexion and thicknesses of AFO with three types of ankle widths and analyze correlation between rigidity and ankle widths, thicknesses. As a result, the rigidity characteristic is specified complex effect of ankle widths and thicknesses.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.291-296
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• 2011

This study was designed to investigate the effects of an ankle foot orthosis(AFO) with variable ankle joint angles on balance performance in healthy adults. Eighteen healthy adults were recruited in this repeated measures design with subjects as their own controls. An AFO with four kinds of ankle joint angles(-5, 0, 5, and 10 degree) were used and balance performance was measured during single limb standing. Three trials were obtained and then averaged for data analysis. Foot pressure was measured using an F-scan system and muscle activity was measured using an MP150 system. There were significant differences in balance performance with ankle joint angles. An AFO with -5 degrees was associated with significant increases in postural sway(anterior-posterior), and in muscle activity for the medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior compared with other degrees of angle. Findings of this study show that angles of an AFO are related to balance performance and a joint angle of 10 degree is effective for promoting joint stability and postural control. This information can be used by clinicians to prescribe AFOs.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.91-97
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the removable ankle-foot orthosis (RAFO) which was developed to improve the gait of stroke patients. The subjects of this study were five stroke patients who agreed to participate in this study by signing a written consent form. To verify gait improvement after wearing the orthosis, a Timed Up and Go test and Functional Gait Assessment were performed, and spatiotemporal gait variables such as gait speed, cadence, stride length, double limb support, and the efficient gait test of body sway angle were performed. For every variable, the differences prior to and after wearing the RAFO were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Every gait variable improved significantly after wearing the RAFO compared to prior to wearing it. The pilot study will enhance future efforts to evaluate orthotic function objectively during gait in stroke patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.551-552
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• 2006

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2014

In this study, the exoskeleton orthosis for the assistance of dorsiflexion torque in ankle joint to prevent foot-drop was developed. It was consist of three part; 1) the power part using artificial pneumatic actuator, 2) wearing part of ankle and knee joints to fix the orthosis, and 3) control part to detect the gait phase using physiological signal. The dorsiflexion torque was generated by the artificial pneumatic actuator connected with wearing part between ankle and knee joint. The accurate timing to assist dorsiflexion torque is made up of physiological signal in foot sole part that detect the gait phase, that is, stance and swing phase in each foot. We conduct the experiment to investigate the effect of exoskeleton orthosis to the 7 elderly people and 10 healthy people. The result showed that the muscular activities in tibialis anterior muscle were reduced because of the assistance of dorsiflexion torque in ankle joint using the exoskeleton orthosis.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2020

The foot or lower extremity is rarely the initial site in adult-onset dystonia, whereas dystonia in children often begins in the foot. Isolated lower extremity dystonia in adults is rarely on a primary basis. Oral anti-dystonic medications have been found unsatisfactory in providing adequate symptomatic relief. On the other hand, botulinum toxin injections have been reported as beneficial. It is also known that personalized orthosis can be an effective solution for patients of dystonia. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate a case of primary focal foot dystonia that was effectively treated with botulinum toxin injection and the custom-made ankle-foot orthosis.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2013

■ Objectives This study was designed to investigate the effects of an ankle foot orthosis(AFO) on gait of two hemiparetic stroke patients with foot drop. ■ Methods Gait of two hemiparetic stroke patients were analyzed during walking on the treadmill without or with AFO application. The spatiotemporal and center of pressure(CoP) intersection parameters of gait analysis were measured using a treadmill gait analysis system. ■ Results The AFO had positive effects on hemiparetic gait parameters; increasing cadence, increasing step length, decreasing step time, stride time, and lateral symmetry. ■ Conclusion Hemiparetic gait was improved by ankle foot orthosis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.52-58
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• 2015

Balance control deficits have been indicated to be a primary problem among cerebral palsy (CP) patients. Fabric ankle foot orthosis (AFO) can allow more efficient balance control by facilitating proprioception. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of fabric AFO on balance, compared to a barefoot condition in children with unilateral CP. Twelve children with unilateral CP participated in this study. Their balance ability was evaluated using pediatric balance scale and bubble test. Both pediatric balance scale and bubble test showed significant improvement with the use of the fabirc AFO (p<.05). The fabric AFO could improve functional balance ability, and promote better balance among children with unilateral CP. We demonstrated that fabric AFO contributed to improving balance among children with unilateral CP, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System level I and II. Consequently, fabric AFO might be an assistive device leading to the improvement of balance instead of the typical AFOs.