Design and Initial Validation of a Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joint for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Toby Elery; Emma Reznick; Staci Shearin; Karen Mccain; Robert D. Gregg

doi:10.1115/1.4053200

Design and Initial Validation of a Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joint for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Toby Elery, Emma Reznick, Staci Shearin, Karen Mccain, Robert D. Gregg

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents the novel design of a multi-degree-of-freedom joint (M-DOF) for an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) that aims to improve upon the commercially available double action joint (DAJ). The M-DOF is designed to maintain the functionality of the DAJ, while increasing dorsiflexion stiffness and introducing inversion/eversion. This increase in range of motion is designed to produce greater engagement from lower limb muscles during gait. The M-DOF was experimentally validated with one able-bodied and one stroke subject. Across walking speeds, the M-DOF AFO minimally affected the able-bodied subject's joint kinematics. The stroke subject's ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion and knee flexion were not heavily altered when wearing the M-DOF AFO, compared to the DAJ AFO. The new DOF allowed by the M-DOF AFO increased the inversion/eversion of the ankle by ∼3 deg, without introducing any new compensations compared to their gait with the DAJ AFO.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	021001
Journal	Journal of Medical Devices, Transactions of the ASME
Volume	16
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053200
State	Published - Jun 1 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine (miscellaneous)
Biomedical Engineering

Access to Document

10.1115/1.4053200

Cite this

@article{ba228e178eac4362a5e5a6d5787a4635,

title = "Design and Initial Validation of a Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joint for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis",

abstract = "This paper presents the novel design of a multi-degree-of-freedom joint (M-DOF) for an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) that aims to improve upon the commercially available double action joint (DAJ). The M-DOF is designed to maintain the functionality of the DAJ, while increasing dorsiflexion stiffness and introducing inversion/eversion. This increase in range of motion is designed to produce greater engagement from lower limb muscles during gait. The M-DOF was experimentally validated with one able-bodied and one stroke subject. Across walking speeds, the M-DOF AFO minimally affected the able-bodied subject's joint kinematics. The stroke subject's ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion and knee flexion were not heavily altered when wearing the M-DOF AFO, compared to the DAJ AFO. The new DOF allowed by the M-DOF AFO increased the inversion/eversion of the ankle by ∼3 deg, without introducing any new compensations compared to their gait with the DAJ AFO.",

author = "Toby Elery and Emma Reznick and Staci Shearin and Karen Mccain and Gregg, {Robert D.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 by ASME.",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1115/1.4053200",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "16",

journal = "Journal of Medical Devices, Transactions of the ASME",

issn = "1932-6181",

publisher = "American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME)",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Design and Initial Validation of a Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joint for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis

AU - Elery, Toby

AU - Reznick, Emma

AU - Shearin, Staci

AU - Mccain, Karen

AU - Gregg, Robert D.

PY - 2022/6/1

Y1 - 2022/6/1

N2 - This paper presents the novel design of a multi-degree-of-freedom joint (M-DOF) for an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) that aims to improve upon the commercially available double action joint (DAJ). The M-DOF is designed to maintain the functionality of the DAJ, while increasing dorsiflexion stiffness and introducing inversion/eversion. This increase in range of motion is designed to produce greater engagement from lower limb muscles during gait. The M-DOF was experimentally validated with one able-bodied and one stroke subject. Across walking speeds, the M-DOF AFO minimally affected the able-bodied subject's joint kinematics. The stroke subject's ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion and knee flexion were not heavily altered when wearing the M-DOF AFO, compared to the DAJ AFO. The new DOF allowed by the M-DOF AFO increased the inversion/eversion of the ankle by ∼3 deg, without introducing any new compensations compared to their gait with the DAJ AFO.

AB - This paper presents the novel design of a multi-degree-of-freedom joint (M-DOF) for an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) that aims to improve upon the commercially available double action joint (DAJ). The M-DOF is designed to maintain the functionality of the DAJ, while increasing dorsiflexion stiffness and introducing inversion/eversion. This increase in range of motion is designed to produce greater engagement from lower limb muscles during gait. The M-DOF was experimentally validated with one able-bodied and one stroke subject. Across walking speeds, the M-DOF AFO minimally affected the able-bodied subject's joint kinematics. The stroke subject's ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion and knee flexion were not heavily altered when wearing the M-DOF AFO, compared to the DAJ AFO. The new DOF allowed by the M-DOF AFO increased the inversion/eversion of the ankle by ∼3 deg, without introducing any new compensations compared to their gait with the DAJ AFO.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124618441&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85124618441&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1115/1.4053200

DO - 10.1115/1.4053200

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85124618441

SN - 1932-6181

VL - 16

JO - Journal of Medical Devices, Transactions of the ASME

JF - Journal of Medical Devices, Transactions of the ASME

IS - 2

M1 - 021001

ER -

Design and Initial Validation of a Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joint for an Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this