Specialists from the Siberian Federal University (SFU) have created unique shoes for the rehabilitation of patients with gait disorders after stroke, Parkinson's disease, and vascular parkinsonism. The device allows for physiotherapy at home, reducing dependence on medication, RIA Novosti was told in the university's press service.
Gait disturbance, or dysbasia, manifests as a decrease in the activity of the leg muscles when the foot is lifted off the ground and impaired coordination of movements. Treatment of such syndromes usually requires constant physiotherapy under the supervision of a specialist. The new SFU development is a device adapted to each patient with an adjustable spring that changes the height of the foot lift and the force of the push, stimulating natural movements when walking.
Shoes with "activating platforms" mechanically initiate pushes in the heel and toe area at the moment the foot is lifted off the surface. During training, the patient walks on a flat surface at a произвольном pace, and the springs between the platforms activate the premotor area of the brain and cerebellar pathways, helping to restore the usual way of walking.
Studies at the Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after V.F. Voyno-Yasenetsky showed that the effect of gait stabilization persists even after the device is discontinued.
