Article

The effects of dynamic ankle-foot orthoses in chronic stroke patients at three-month follow-up: a randomized controlled trial Suat Erel1, Fatma Uygur2, _Ibrahim Engin S ims ek3 and Yakut Yakut2 Objective: To investigate the short- and long-term effects of dynamic ankle foot orthoses on functional ambulation activities in chronic hemiparetic patients. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: University’s neurological rehabilitation outpatient clinic and orthotics department. Subjects: Twenty-eight chronic hemiparetic patients of level 3–5 according to Functional Ambulation Classification and with a maximum spasticity level of 3 according to Modified Ashworth Scale, were randomly assigned to the study and control groups. Interventions: The control group (n 14) was assessed with tennis shoes whereas the study group (n 14) was assessed initially with tennis shoes and after three months with dynamic ankle foot orthosis