Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are widely prescribed to improve walking in various neuromuscular disorders. To maximally benefit from an AFO, individuals need to adapt their gait to the AFO and gain confidence in walking with the AFO. While physiotherapy sessions are often planned to provide explicit instructions for safe and intended use of AFOs, full gait adaption is typically assumed to occur naturally through daily use. However, spontaneous adaptation to the AFO may not (always) take place, especially for individuals with fear or low balance confidence. This might prevent individuals from fully utilizing the AFO capabilities. A better understanding of the AFO adaptation process, alongside the role of gait training and innovative training strategies, is essential to ensure AFO users to achieve the best possible outcomes.
In this symposium, we will focus on the role of gait training following provision of AFOs. We will begin by emphasizing the importance of standardized AFO training to help patients become familiar with AFO use during daily activities in real-world settings, using our expert center experience and results of a national survey on current training practices. We will then discuss the AFO adaptation process and the role of exploratory variability in learning, drawing on current scientific literature and results of our recently conducted analysis on AFO adaptation. Lastly, we will share promising findings from a pilot study that utilized principles of motor learning to enhance AFO adaptation and overall functioning through an innovative training approach.
Statement of the objective / learning objectives
By attending this session, participants will gain insights into adaptation to AFOs, the role of gait training following AFO provision, and innovative training strategies to enhance treatment outcomes in neuromuscular disorders supported by scientific concepts.
