Review of ankle rehabilitation devices for treatment of equinus contracture

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Equinus contracture is a serious disability and attention should be paid to proper and effective treatment. Most attention is given to neurologically impaired patients, but the incidence of equinus contracture is much higher, for example, in post-traumatic patients. In addition to conventional physical therapy, robotic rehabilitation treatment is one of the promising procedures to precede severe contraction cases and the need for surgery.

Areas covered

This study aims to cover the description of different types of stationary and wearable ankle rehabilitation devices suitable for the treatment of equinus contracture and point to deficiency in research, clinical trials, and launch of the market.

Expert opinion

This review provides insight into ankle rehabilitation devices with a focus on equinus contracture. Due to the fact that robotic devices successfully restore the condition of patients, attention should not be paid only to those with neurological impairments. This paper points that future research should be effectively linked to clinical practice with the aim of covering a wider range of disabilities and make an effort to successfully introduce devices from development into the practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Achilles tendon
• ankle
• ankle foot orthoses
• continuous passive motion
• equinus contracture
• ergometers
• leg-press
• rehabilitation devices

Article highlights

• Reduced dorsiflexion is mainly a disability caused by shortened gastroc-soleus complex.

• Equinus contracture causes pathological gait.

• Importance should be paid to the diagnosis and setting of a proper treatment process.

• Existing commercialized rehabilitation devices could be more implemented in treatment.

• Devices in development should be subjected to clinical trials.

• The gap in the field of rehabilitation devices lies in the deficit of research on rehabilitation devices for posttraumatic patients.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewers disclosure

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the project Innovative Therapeutic Methods of Musculoskeletal System in Accident Surgery [Operational Programme Research, Development and Education financed by the European Union and by the state budget of the Czech Republic]; under grant [No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/17_049/0008441]; Doctoral grant competition VŠB-TUO DGS/INDIVIDUAL/2020-009 ‘Evaluation of equinus’ [Operational Programme Research, Development and Education financed by the European Union and by the state budget of the Czech Republic], under grant [no. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/19_073/0016945]; Research and development of lower limb prosthetic sockets manufactured by additive technologies [Research and Development Support Agency] under Grant [APVV-19-0290, 07/2020 - 06/2023]; and Use of digitization technologies for educational process support in the field of prosthetics and orthotics [Cultural and Educational Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic] under Grant [KEGA 040TUKE-4/2019, 01/2019 - 12/2021].