Evaluation of the effect of ankle-foot orthosis use on balance and mobility in hemiparetic stroke patients.

We evaluated the effect of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO; articulated, plantar flexion stopped) use on balance and mobility in hemiparetic stroke patients in this study. Fifty-one hemiplegic patients who had completed the rehabilitation programme were included in the study. Subjects were assessed during the Ashburn walking and stair test, the time Up & Go test, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the mobility subscale of the stroke rehabilitation assessment of movement (STREAM) in the presence and absence of AFO. The patients were asked about their evaluations of AFO in terms of its desirability/undesirability. All the subjects showed improvements in gait speed, balance and mobility with AFO use. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the durations of stair climbing with or without AFO; 45.1%% of the subjects indicated that their gait speed increased; 35.3%% indicated that they step on more confidently and 60.8%% indicated that they consider AFO unaesthetic. It was determined that the use of an AFO resulted in improvements in both balance and ambulation activities of hemiparetic patients.