Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey

Lennart J. Zielstra; Irene L. Y. Beck; Niels F.J. Waterval

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126

Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey

Lennart J. Zielstra^*, Irene L. Y. Beck, Niels F.J. Waterval

^*Corresponding author for this work

Rehabilitation Medicine

Research output: Chapter/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) provide stability and improve mobility for individuals with lower limb impairments, caused by conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral nerve damage. Despite their benefits, achieving optimal compliance and user satisfaction with ankle-foot orthoses is challenging due to discomfort and design flaws. This study employed an open online survey to gather user complaints about AFOs. Based on 84 inclusions with various diagnoses, pressure points (50%), restricted ankle movement (54%), and shoe-related issues, particularly among women (44% of female respondents) were most common. The findings suggest that user satisfaction could be enhanced by improving flexibility, comfort, ease-of-use and aesthetics of ankle-foot orthosis design. Methodological limitations and potential biases present in this study highlight the need for future research to understand the causes of AFO non-compliance.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Biosystems and Biorobotics
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2
Editors	Jose L. Pons, Jesus Tornero, Metin Akay
Publisher	Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Pages	645-649
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-77584-0
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-77583-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126
Publication status	Published - 2024

Publication series

Series	Biosystems and Biorobotics
Volume	32
ISSN	2195-3562

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

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10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126

Cite this

Zielstra, L. J., Beck, I. L. Y., & Waterval, N. F. J. (2024). Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey. In J. L. Pons, J. Tornero, & M. Akay (Eds.), Biosystems and Biorobotics: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2 (pp. 645-649). Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126

Zielstra, Lennart J. ; Beck, Irene L. Y. ; Waterval, Niels F.J. / Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey. Biosystems and Biorobotics: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2. editor / Jose L. Pons ; Jesus Tornero ; Metin Akay. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2024. pp. 645-649 (Biosystems and Biorobotics, Vol. 32).

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title = "Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey",

abstract = "Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) provide stability and improve mobility for individuals with lower limb impairments, caused by conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral nerve damage. Despite their benefits, achieving optimal compliance and user satisfaction with ankle-foot orthoses is challenging due to discomfort and design flaws. This study employed an open online survey to gather user complaints about AFOs. Based on 84 inclusions with various diagnoses, pressure points (50\%), restricted ankle movement (54\%), and shoe-related issues, particularly among women (44\% of female respondents) were most common. The findings suggest that user satisfaction could be enhanced by improving flexibility, comfort, ease-of-use and aesthetics of ankle-foot orthosis design. Methodological limitations and potential biases present in this study highlight the need for future research to understand the causes of AFO non-compliance.",

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Zielstra, LJ, Beck, ILY & Waterval, NFJ 2024, Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey. in JL Pons, J Tornero & M Akay (eds), Biosystems and Biorobotics: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Biosystems and Biorobotics, vol. 32, pp. 645-649. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126

Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey. / Zielstra, Lennart J.; Beck, Irene L. Y.; Waterval, Niels F.J.
Biosystems and Biorobotics: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2. ed. / Jose L. Pons; Jesus Tornero; Metin Akay. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2024. p. 645-649 (Biosystems and Biorobotics, Vol. 32).

Research output: Chapter/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey

AU - Zielstra, Lennart J.

AU - Beck, Irene L. Y.

AU - Waterval, Niels F.J.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) provide stability and improve mobility for individuals with lower limb impairments, caused by conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral nerve damage. Despite their benefits, achieving optimal compliance and user satisfaction with ankle-foot orthoses is challenging due to discomfort and design flaws. This study employed an open online survey to gather user complaints about AFOs. Based on 84 inclusions with various diagnoses, pressure points (50%), restricted ankle movement (54%), and shoe-related issues, particularly among women (44% of female respondents) were most common. The findings suggest that user satisfaction could be enhanced by improving flexibility, comfort, ease-of-use and aesthetics of ankle-foot orthosis design. Methodological limitations and potential biases present in this study highlight the need for future research to understand the causes of AFO non-compliance.

AB - Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) provide stability and improve mobility for individuals with lower limb impairments, caused by conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral nerve damage. Despite their benefits, achieving optimal compliance and user satisfaction with ankle-foot orthoses is challenging due to discomfort and design flaws. This study employed an open online survey to gather user complaints about AFOs. Based on 84 inclusions with various diagnoses, pressure points (50%), restricted ankle movement (54%), and shoe-related issues, particularly among women (44% of female respondents) were most common. The findings suggest that user satisfaction could be enhanced by improving flexibility, comfort, ease-of-use and aesthetics of ankle-foot orthosis design. Methodological limitations and potential biases present in this study highlight the need for future research to understand the causes of AFO non-compliance.

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Zielstra LJ, Beck ILY, Waterval NFJ. Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey. In Pons JL, Tornero J, Akay M, editors, Biosystems and Biorobotics: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR 2024), November 5–8, 2024, La Granja, Spain - Volume 2. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. 2024. p. 645-649. (Biosystems and Biorobotics, Vol. 32). Epub 2024 Dec 21. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-77584-0_126

Ankle-Foot Orthoses Design Shortcomings: User Complaint Survey

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