Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the use of orthotic therapy and the ability to walk at discharge among stroke patients who were treated at our rehabilitation hospital.
Methods: This retrospective, observational cohort study included 1040 patients with first-ever stroke who were referred to our rehabilitation hospital between January 2013 and December 2015. The patients were divided into knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO), ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), and no orthosis groups. Neurological symptoms, cognitive function, daily activities, duration from hospitalization to orthosis creation, hospitalization duration, and walking ability at discharge were compared.
Results: The age of the patients ranged from 12 to 94 years. The mean duration from onset to hospitalization was 34.1 ± 17.8 days, and the mean length of hospital stay was 64.3 ± 35.3 days. Of the 1040 patients, 414 received orthotic therapy (220 in the KAFO group and 194 in the AFO group). The AFO group had patients with lower age than those in the no orthosis group, and neurological symptoms and cognitive function were more severe in the KAFO group than in the other groups. Their own KAFO was prescribed in 156 patients and AFO was prescribed in 230 patients. The mean period from hospitalization to orthosiscompletion was 11.3 ± 5.8 days in the KAFOs and 33.9 ± 20.9 days in the AFOs. Orthosis was needed by 375 patients (47 KAFOs and 328 AFOs) at discharge from the rehabilitation hospital. Among the patients, 540 patients could walk independently and these included 43.2% patients from the KAFO group and 66.5% patients from the AFO group.
Conclusion: An orthosis was required in a number of patients who have been transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. We believe that it is clear that orthosis therapy is indispensable for rehabilitation of stroke patients.