Verification of Therapeutic Effect of a Piston Device for Foot with Spastic Paralysis

The second author has developed a piston technique for restoring the motor function of a chronic plegic foot with good outcomes, including reduced spasticity and improved muscle shortening. In this study, we developed a piston device for foot (PDFt) to simulate the piston technique. The PDFt moves the paralyzed foot passively. We considered the therapeutic effects as well as new findings in treatment with the PDFt. We conducted treatment with the PDFt for five minutes on each of six hemiplegic persons. The therapeutic effect was assessed by measuring the passive range of motion, the active range of motion, and the Modified Ashworth Scale score before and after treatment. The use of the PDFt led to improved motor function and decreased abnormal muscle tone. Therefore, the effectiveness of treatment with the PDFt was verified. Moreover, we conducted a 5-Meter Walk Test before and after treatment for one hemiplegic person and performed a gait analysis. It was confirmed that the treatment also had a good effect on the improvement of gait.