Bodyweight supported treadmill training has become a prominent gait rehabilitation method in leading rehabilitation centers. This type of locomotor training has many functional benefits but the labor costs are considerable. To reduce therapist effort, several groups have developed large robotic devices for assisting treadmill stepping. A complementary approach that has not been adequately explo...

Background Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral neuropathy and is associated with foot deformity, gait abnormalities and functional impairment. Orthoses are often prescribed for children with CMT, yet the indication and type of prescription is usually based on clinical judgement due to the lack of high quality research in this field. Therefore, the aims of t...

BACKGROUND This pilot study investigated whether semi-rigid and soft orthoses had an effect on pain, disability and functional limitation in participants with chronic rheumatoid hindfoot involvement. METHODS Participants with chronic hindfoot pain were randomly assigned to 2 groups, commencing either with semi-rigid Subortholene orthoses or soft EVA orthoses. The Foot Function Index and the R...

OBJECTIVE Five styles of commercial static wrist extensor orthoses were compared to determine whether any style, or styles, afforded better power grip strength or finger dexterity. Because wrist extensor orthoses are intended for use during functional tasks, their influence on hand function is of great importance. METHOD Twenty-three right-hand-dominant women without upper extremity dysfuncti...

Many patients with spinal injures are confined to wheelchairs, leading to a sedentary lifestyle with secondary pathologies and increased dependence on a carer. Increasing evidence has shown that training using devices such as Reciprocating Gait Orthoses (RGO) reduces the incidence of these secondary pathologies, but the physical effort involved in this training is such that there is poor compli...