Impacto de uma órtese articulada de joelho na mobilidade e no controle postural em pacientes com AVC: uma perspectiva da gerontotecnologia

Abstract

Background: Recent advances in gerontechnology have provided benefits for both healthy and pathological aging. Certain neurological conditions such as stroke can diminish patient independence by impairing mobility and postural control. Objective: To investigate whether an articulated knee orthosis can enhance mobility and postural control in stroke patients. Method: Fifty hemiparetic participants with a history of ischemic stroke (mean age: 59.2 ± 7.6 years; time since stroke: 50.8 ± 32.4 months) participated in walking and standing tasks, with and without an articulated knee orthosis on their hemiparetic side. Mobility was assessed using the timed get-up-and-go test, which included measures of time and number of steps. Postural control was evaluated using the K-Force Plate system and included measures of center of pressure, total displacement, frontal and lateral sway, and weight distribution. Paired comparisons were used to assess differences in outcomes with and without knee orthosis. Significance was set at 5%. Effect sizes (ES) were reported. Results: The use of an articulated knee orthosis significantly improved mobility of the participants (p = 0.004; ES = 0.466 for time and p = 0.003; ES = 0.441 for number of steps). In terms of postural control, only lateral sway showed significant improvement (p = 0.031; ES = 0.189). Conclusion: The use of an articulated knee orthosis significantly improved mobility in participants with a history of ischemic stroke. In contrast, among all postural control variables, only lateral sway showed improvement. Gerontechnology should further explore devices capable of enhancing postural control more effectively in stroke patients.

Keywords: stroke, aged, mobility limitation, postural balance, assistive technologies