THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS USE ON WALKING ABILITY IN STROKE PATIENTS IN THE WORKING AREA OF THE GARUDA COMUNNITY HEALTH CENTER IN PEKANBARU CITY

Abstrak

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, including in Indonesia. One of the main impacts of stroke is impaired mobility, which hinders patients' independence in performing daily activities. Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) is an assistive device that can help improve the stability and walking ability of stroke patients. This study aims to determine the application of AFO use on the walking ability of stroke patients in the Garuda Community Health Center, Pekanbaru City. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre- and post-test approach without a control design. The sample consisted of 19 stroke patients selected using a consecutive sampling technique. Measurements of walking ability were carried out before and after the intervention using the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI). Data analysis was performed using a Paired T-Test to observe changes before and after the intervention. The results showed that the average walking ability score before the intervention (pre-test) was 6.16 with a standard deviation of 1.167, while after the intervention (post-test) it increased to 11.37 with a standard deviation of 1.606. The statistical test results showed a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant effect of AFO use on improving the walking ability of stroke patients. The use of Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) has been proven effective in improving walking ability in stroke patients. Therefore, this device is recommended as part of a rehabilitation strategy to increase the independence of stroke patients in performing daily activities.