Presenter: Therese Wichmann
Faculty Mentor: Shannon Pomeroy, Michael Hahn
Presentation Type: Oral
Primary Research Area: Science
Major: Human Physiology
Ankle arthritis is the debilitating deterioration of the joint cartilage, resulting in pain and diminished quality of life. A surgical fusion of the affected bones can be performed on the ankle to alleviate pain and remove damaged cartilage, but ankle range of motion (ROM) becomes severely limited. Rigid ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) have had positive outcomes regarding ankle mobility, stability, and pain relief in clinical populations, however, much is unknown about how externally limiting motion affects gait function. This preliminary work will help determine how wearing AFOs affect ROM and temporospatial parameters. We performed standard gait analysis on 16 healthy adult subjects during a baseline walking test without wearing an AFO and throughout thirty minutes of wearing an AFO on a treadmill. Reflective markers were placed on anatomical landmarks to capture segment motion and calculate lower extremity joint angles. Changes in ROM and stride length were analyzed and compared from baseline to minute one, minute fifteen, and minute thirty within the AFO test. Initial results reveal noticeable changes compared to baseline. Continued collections and analysis will be utilized to observe how these acute changes form overtime with AFO use. These data will assist in determining how rigid AFOs maintain normal mobility despite restricting the ankle, potentially giving support to the usage of rigid AFOs in some ankle arthritis cases rather than invasive surgery.