Polio Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Polio, including details on symptoms, treatment, vaccines, causes, virus.

Oxygen consumption, oxygen cost and physiological cost index in polio survivors: a comparison of walking without orthosis, with an ordinary or a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic knee-ankle-foot orthosis.

Hachisuka K, Makino K, Wada F, Saeki S, Yoshimoto N

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yahatanishi, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. kenhachi@med-uoeh-u.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: To examine, for polio survivors, whether walking with a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic knee-ankle-foot orthosis (carbon KAFO) is more efficient than walking with an ordinary KAFO or without an orthosis. DESIGN: Consecutive sample. SETTING: Post-polio clinic, University Hospital of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Eleven polio survivors who had a carbon KAFO prescribed at the post-polio clinic. INTERVENTIONS: A carbon KAFO was prescribed, fabricated and inspected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oxygen consumption, oxygen cost and physiological cost index. RESULTS: An ordinary KAFO weighed 1403 g (standard deviation(SD) 157 g), whereas a carbon KAFO weighed 992 g (SD 168 g). Subjects walking with a carbon KAFO showed a tendency to increase step length, and to increase speed significantly compared with walking without an orthosis and with an ordinary KAFO (paired t-test, p < 0.05). Oxygen consumption per body weight, oxygen cost (O2 consumption for 1-m walk divided by body weight) and physiological cost index ((heart rate at 3-min walk - heart rate at rest) /speed) were significantly lower than those walking without an orthosis (-16%, -35%, -33%; paired t-test, p < 0.05) and were lower than those walking with an ordinary KAFO (-9%, -14%, -15%; paired t-test, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The gait efficiency of polio survivors with a carbon KAFO was objectively better than those without an orthosis or with an ordinary KAFO.

Published 26 September 2007 in J Rehabil Med, 39(8): 646-50.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Polio Research Today. All Rights Reserved.