Constraints of Walking Movement in the Use of a Short Leg Brace

The purpose of the present study was to determine (1) whether the pattern of gait with a short leg brace definitely deviated from that of normal gait, and (2) whether a hybrid mass-spring pendulum model proposed in a systems approach was applicable to walking with a short leg brace. Thirty healthy young adults participated in this study. Step rate and Physiological Cost Index during walking on a treadmill were measured while the participants were wearing (a) short leg brace(s) on one leg or on both legs. Walking velocities were 33.3-100.0 m/min for males and 16.7-83.3 m/min for females. The optimal energy-saving gait when using a short leg brace exhibited deviation from the normal gait pattern, because step length was smaller and the step rate was higher. When the velocity exceeded 90 m/min, however, step length was longer and step rate was lower in short leg brace gait than in normal gait. We thought some modifications to the hybrid model were necessary to explain our results.