DOI: 10.1080/16501970410025126

Objective: To measure walking speed and energy cost in patients with prior stroke with and without a carbon composite ankle foot orthosis. Design: Within-group comparisons of 2 walking conditions. Participants: Convenience sample of 10 hemiparetic patients with a stroke at least 6 months earlier (average age 52 years) habituated to a carbon composite ankle foot orthosis. Methods: Subjects walked on a treadmill at self-selected speed both with and without ankle foot orthosis for 5 minutes on each occasion. Energy expenditure was measured by breath-by-breath analysis and electrocardiography. Main outcome measures were walking speed, oxygen consumption, heart rate and energy cost per metre. Results: Walking speed: without ankle foot orthosis 0. 27 (SEM ± 0. 03) m/s, with 0. 34 (±0. 06) m/s, difference 20%. Oxygen consumption: without ankle foot orthosis 8. 6 (±0. 4) ml/kg/min, with 8. 8 (±0. 5) ml/kg/min. Energy cost: without ankle foot orthosis 0. 58 (±0. 07) ml/kg/m, with 0. 51 (±0. 06) ml/kg/m, difference 12%. Conclusion: Use of a carbon composite ankle foot orthosis in patients with stroke may increase speed and decrease energy cost during walking.