DEVELOPMENT OF FES INCORPORATED ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS

Foot drop is a gait abnormality in which the dropping of the foot happens due to weakness, irritation or damage to the peroneal nerve or paralysis of the muscles. This condition is characterized by inability to raise the toe or raise the foot from the ankle (dorsiflexion). In this, the angle of the foot can be stabilized by lightweight orthosis, which acts as a support, intended to control the position and motion of the ankle. Another technique which can be used is Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) that applies low energy electrical pulses to activate the nerve in the leg, causing the muscles to contract and produce a movement that can help in better mobility. The Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) currently available in the market are rigid in structure hence causing discomfort to the patients. Thus, this paper proposes a novel idea of incorporating FES in a specially designed AFO which could provide comfort to the patient as well as a solution for the condition.