The influence of articulated afos on forward propulsion during walking adaptability tasks post stroke

Forward propulsion, a key contributor to walking speed and walking adaptability, is mainly generated by the ankle plantarflexors. Our prior research showed that walking with a solid AFO hindered forward propulsion generation and overall mobility in healthy adults. However, this has not been examined post-stroke. Thus, here we examined the influence of a commonly prescribed articulated AFO on the generation of forward propulsion, walking speed and overall mobility during common walking adaptability tasks in nine individuals post-stroke. Walking with the AFO did not have a significant impact on forward propulsion generation during any of the walking tasks, likely due to the articulated AFO allowing for ankle movement and output. While walking speed and overall mobility did not change with an AFO, both measures were strongly correlated with forward propulsion generated by the paretic leg. These findings highlight the importance of the AFO design selection for optimal mobility outcome.