Walking with unilateral ankle-foot unloading: a comparative biomechanical analysis of three assistive devices.
Eshraq Saffuri, Eyal Izak, Yinon Tal and 3 others
PMID 38689255WHAT IT FOUND
The ZeroG orthosis let healthy adults walk faster and feel more stable than crutches or the iWalk, but it caused the most shank pain.
Crutches were the slowest and hardest work. Do not assume this applies to injured patients.
Key findings
01The ZeroG orthosis allowed significantly faster walking speeds than forearm crutches or the iWalk knee crutch.
02Forearm crutches resulted in the highest metabolic cost and the greatest increase in impact forces on the weight-bearing leg.
03Nineteen of twenty participants reported pressure on the shank when using the ZeroG, the highest rate among the devices tested.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was done on 20 young, healthy people with no injuries, so the results may not apply to older adults or patients with painful foot or ankle conditions. Walking was tested only on flat ground at a self-selected speed, ignoring stairs, slopes, or uneven surfaces common in real life. The ZeroG required a shoe leveler and extra strapping to keep the foot off the ground, which may have influenced comfort and movement patterns. The study measured immediate effects, not how patients cope with these devices over the weeks or months of recovery.
The easy way to misread this
Do not prescribe the ZeroG as a universally more comfortable or superior device based on this paper. While it improved speed and stability, it caused significant pain and pressure on the shank in 19 of 20 participants, and the study was conducted on healthy people without injuries.