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Effect of a Discomfort-Inducing Textured Insole on Balance and Gait

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posted on 2015-10-21, 00:00 authored by Charlie C. Ma
Introduction: Muscle weakness on one side of the body is a common consequence of a stroke, which frequently results in asymmetry of stance and gait. Thus, the improvement of symmetry of balance and gait is a rehabilitation goal for individuals with hemiparesis due to stroke. The overall objective of this research was to investigate the effect of using a textured insole (T-insole) on symmetry of stance and gait. The T-insole positioned in the shoe of one limb creates discomfort that forces the user to shift the body weight to the other limb. Method: Three experiments were conducted to uncover the role of discomfort-inducing textured insoles (T-insoles) on symmetry of stance and gait. The first experiment (healthy subjects, N=8) was focused on demonstrating that using a T-insole alters the symmetry of static balance and gait. The second experiment (individuals with stroke, N= 8) was conducted to understand if the T-insole improves the asymmetry of balance and gait in individuals with stroke. The focus of the third experiment (healthy subjects, N=8) was on comparing the effects of different prototypes of the T-insole on altering the symmetry of balance and gait. Static balance and gait parameters were measured with the Balance Master® and GAITRite® systems, and subjective discomfort was assessed with a Visual Analog scale. Symmetry indexes were calculated and analyzed. Paired t-tests were used in Experiments 1 and 2 to compare between the conditions and one-way ANOVA was applied in Experiment 3 to compare the effects of prototypes. Results: Using a T-insole resulted in a decrease of gait velocity (p < 0.05) and increased asymmetry of gait parameters (p < 0.05) in healthy individuals (Experiment 1). When individuals with stroke used the T-insole, improvements in asymmetry of gait parameters (p < 0.05) were seen (Experiment 2). The use of different prototypes was associated with variations in the observed changes in gait and stance symmetry: the T-insole prototype with redesigned projections was more effective as compared to other prototypes (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The outcome of the study demonstrates that a discomfort-inducing insole could alter stance and gait symmetry. Specifically, while using the T-insole, individuals with stroke were able to improve the symmetry of their gait. While all studied T-insoles could help in restoration of gait and stance symmetry, it is important to use the insole that produces the best possible effect.

History

Advisor

Aruin, Alexander

Department

Physical Therapy

Degree Grantor

University of Illinois at Chicago

Degree Level

  • Masters

Committee Member

Bhatt, Tanvi Madhavan, Sangeetha

Submitted date

2015-08

Language

  • en

Issue date

2015-10-21

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