Chinese Journal Of Clinical Anatomy ›› 2017, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (2): 224-227.doi: 10.13418/j.issn.1001-165x.2017.02.022

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The effects of alternative gait orthosis on walking ability, activity of daily living and quality of life in patients with thoracolumbar spinal cord injury

TANG Dan 1,2, LIU Si-wen 2, DENG Xiao-qian 2, LIAO Lin-rong 3, YANG Zheng-hui2, YANG Xin-hua2,HUANG Guo-zhi1   

  1. 1. Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China;  2. Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou 510440, China;  3. Yixing Jiuru Rehabilitation Hospital, Yixing, Jiangshu 214200, China
  • Received:2016-12-15 Online:2017-03-25 Published:2017-04-27

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effects on walking ability, activity of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) after fitting the alternative gait orthosis (AGO) in thoracolumbar spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Methods 60 patients with complete SCI were randomly divided into an AGO group (30 subjects) and a control group (30 subjects).  All patients received a standard rehabilitation training (including muscle strength training, balance training, transferring training, wheelchair using and ADL training).  Patients in the AGO group received an additional 8 weeks of standing and walking training. Outcome measurement including the walking ability, ADL and QOL assessment were taken before rehabilitation training, before fitting orthosis and after fitting respectively. Results After 4 months of treatment, AGO group patients can use the orthosis to walk; average 10 m walking time was 87.27 s, average 6 min walking distance was 46.35 m; ADL ability in the treatment group was significantly improved when compared with the control group (P<0.01); the improvement in physiological and psychological aspects of QOL score was statistically significant (P<0.05).  Conclusion The using of AGO can improve the walking ability, ADL ability and QOL for patients with the thoracolumbar SCI, implicating that AGO should be widely applied in the future.

Key words: Thoracolumbar spinal cord injury, Alternative gait orthosis, Walking ability, Quality of life