Although there are several areas of
research on lower limb orthotic use following
stroke, the majority of the evidence
is not robust due to small patient
sample groups, time limitations and
poor quality descriptions of orthoses,
meaning research cannot be replicated.
In 2009, a best practice statement on
ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) use following
stroke was published in Scotland
(Bowers, 2009). This included a comprehensive
literature review and produced
guidance on best practice using this evidence
base. Another literature review in
2013 (Ferreira et al, 2013) found that
AFO does improve the quality of a
patient’s gait, but further robust
research is required.