ProFuß GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Orthopädietechnik Weitner, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
World Neurosurg. 2019 Jul;127:e236-e241. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.03.064. Epub 2019 Apr 5.
Neurogenic drop foot is a common result of acquired damage of the central nervous system and can cause severe restriction of mobility. ActiGait, an implantable functional electrical stimulation device, restores ankle dorsiflexion by active peroneal nerve stimulation. The aim of our study was to evaluate its effect on foot contact pattern during normal walk.
Eight patients with drop foot who used ActiGait in everyday life performed a 20-meter comfortable walk test. Gait parameters were evaluated with an insole system (Medilogic). Percentage of biped stance in a double-step, effective foot length, width of gait, and overall plantar load were measured in comparison with and without activated drop foot stimulation.
Effective foot length increased in all patients on average from 46.0% to 60.2% (P = 0.038). However, percentage of biped stance in a double-step showed no significant difference (31.2% vs. 27.8% on average, P = 0.063), nor did width of gait (2.6% vs. 2.4% on average, P = 0.73) and overall plantar load (3.51 N/cm vs. 3.39 N/cm, P = 0.25).
The ActiGait implantable drop foot stimulator significantly improves effective foot length during normal walk of patients with neurogenic drop foot. Further investigation is needed to confirm whether ActiGait has no effect on the other parameters or whether it facilitates permanent gait adaptations that persist without the activated device.
神经源性垂足是中枢神经系统获得性损伤的常见后果，可导致严重的活动受限。ActiGait 是一种可植入的功能性电刺激装置，通过主动腓神经刺激恢复踝关节背屈。本研究旨在评估其对正常行走时足接触模式的影响。
8 名日常使用 ActiGait 的垂足患者进行了 20 米舒适行走测试。使用鞋垫系统（Medilogic）评估步态参数。与激活垂足刺激时相比，测量双步站立时的双足支撑百分比、有效足长、步态宽度和整体足底负荷。
所有患者的有效足长平均从 46.0%增加到 60.2%（P=0.038）。然而，双步站立时的双足支撑百分比没有显著差异（平均为 31.2%和 27.8%，P=0.063），步态宽度也没有差异（平均为 2.6%和 2.4%，P=0.73），整体足底负荷也没有差异（平均为 3.51 N/cm 和 3.39 N/cm，P=0.25）。
ActiGait 可植入式垂足刺激器可显著改善神经源性垂足患者正常行走时的有效足长。需要进一步研究以确认 ActiGait 是否对其他参数没有影响，或者它是否促进无需激活设备即可持续存在的永久性步态适应。
