Foot Drop Stimulation Versus Ankle Foot Orthosis After Stroke

Background and Purpose—Drop foot after stroke may be addressed using an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) or a foot drop stimulator (FDS). The Functional Ambulation: Standard Treatment versus Electric Stimulation Therapy (FASTEST) trial was a multicenter, randomized, single-blinded trial comparing FDS and AFO for drop foot among people ≥3 months after stroke with gait speed ≤0.8 m/s.

Methods—Participants (n=197; 79 females and 118 males; 61.14±11.61 years of age; time after stroke 4.55±4.72 years) were randomized to 30 weeks of either FDS or a standard AFO. Eight dose-matched physical therapy sessions were provided to both groups during the first 6 weeks of the trial. Read more