Development of low-cost biokinetic orthesis for children with chronic non-progressive encephalopathy

Abstract

Spastic cerebral palsy is a motor disorder caused by increased stretch reflexes in muscle tone, which will compromise the acquisition of basic motor functions such as rolling, sitting, walking and activities of daily living in general. One of the most commonly used alternatives as an auxiliary treatment resource is the use of orthoses, the most used in cerebral palsy being the AFO (A – ankle; F – foot; O – orthosis), that is, an orthosis that involves the ankle and foot ; acting mainly as a positioning stabilizer, keeping the two joints in a physiological position. Considering the discomfort and lack of mobility that most orthoses offered on the current market have, it is clear that there is a need to develop orthoses that allow the patient to move according to the kinematics of the body. Most AFOs are made with thermoplastic materials molded to the patient and limitations in use are often encountered due to the difficulty of perfect adjustment and the rigidity of the material, which can cause discomfort and skin injuries. From this, the creation of clothing that helps the treatment of children with cerebral palsy emerged. Currently, on the market, high-cost materials are used to produce these resources, making them inaccessible to the less privileged public. The objective of this research is to develop and improve a low-cost orthosis for children with cerebral palsy, with the purpose of bringing neuromotor improvement, in addition to inserting them into the social context that surrounds them. The first version of the orthosis was carried out in a previous study and tested on two children diagnosed with spastic Cerebral Palsy and motor level IV according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), one male and the other female. aged 5 and 7 years. According to the results found, the children showed motor development, even if at a lower percentage than expected. The present study is about innovative development for this type of clothing, with the placement of vibracalls, making improvements to the clothing with the purpose of improving the gains obtained in the previous study.