Types and functions of paraplegic walking devices

The paraplegic walker is an auxiliary device connected with a standard long-leg brace to help paraplegic patients "walk again".

As a result, the cardiopulmonary function, digestive system, mentality, and psychology of patients with paraplegia have been substantially changed, and they can restore ordinary functions as much as possible and improve the quality of life.

At present, paraplegic walking devices can be divided into two main types: power-assisted paraplegic walking devices and non-power-assisted paraplegic walking devices.

1. Paraplegic walking device without power function

The traditional paraplegic walking device has no power-assisted function, and most of them are composed of bilateral hip, knee, ankle, and foot orthosis (HKAFO) or bilateral knee, ankle, and foot orthosis (KAFO) connected to a rigid lumbosacral orthosis through a hip joint hinge. . The patient needs to lock the hip and knee joints and fix the ankle joints. The paraplegic walking device without assisted power function mainly relies on the patient's center of gravity to lean forward and the pelvis to lean to achieve striding, and crutches must be used for standing and walking function training.

2. Paraplegic walking device with power function

In recent years, the paraplegic walking device represented by ARGO (advanced reciprocating gait orthosis) has been used clinically, making it possible for patients with complete thoracic spinal cord injury below T4 to use the paraplegic walking device for practical walking. ARGO's structural design features make it not only helpful in walking, but also in the process of the patient's standing and sitting posture interchange. You can directly stand up or sit down without having to switch the hinge lock of the knee joint by hand first, and the elastic device of the knee joint brace can assist when the posture is exchanged, which is labor-saving and easy to implement. The results of the study also showed that patients had better stability when standing with ARGO, the pressure of the cane on the ground was low, and patients with T4-T9 level injuries had significantly lower oxygen consumption when walking with ARGO.

Under normal circumstances, patients with cervical spinal cord injury cannot use paraplegic walking devices. Paraplegic walking devices without mobility assistance are mainly used for patients with spinal cord injuries below T10. Patients with complete spinal cord injury above T12 level generally cannot be used with non-assisted paraplegic walking devices.

Sexual walking. For incomplete spinal cord injury, the residual muscle strength below the level of spinal cord injury in different patients is different, and the paraplegic walking device needs to be determined according to the specific situation.

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