• Original Title: Die N.A.P.® Gait Classification als Werkzeug zur Qualitätssicherung und Standardisierung der orthetischen Versorgung bei Schlaganfallpatienten
• Authors: Daniel Sabbagh¹, Jörg Fior2, Ralf Gentz²
• Institutions: ¹FIOR & GENTZ GmbH – Scientific Editing, ²FIOR & GENTZ GmbH – Management
• Form of Contribution: presentation
• Congress: 5th Joint Annual Meeting of the German Association for Neurorehabilitation (Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurorehabilitation e. V., DGNR) and the German Association for Neurotraumatology and Clinical Neurorehabilitation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurotraumatologie und Klinische Neurorehabilitation e. V., DGNKN)
• Location: Singen, Germany
• Date: 4–6 December 2014
• Expert Associations: German Association for Neurorehabilitation, German Association for Neurotraumatology and Clinical Neurorehabilitation

Summary: The N.A.P.® Gait Classification divides apoplexy patients into four gait types according to their lateral knee and frontal foot position during mid stance. A group of patients with hyperextended and a group with hyperflexed knees were examined with regard to their spatio-temporal gait parameters and the joint angles of hip, knee and ankle. Furthermore, the effect of an AFO, adjusted to the respective gait type, on these parameters was to be determined. The kinematics of knee and ankle joint, especially the knee position in stance phase, are significantly improved with an AFO in both gait types. Moreover, stride length, walking speed, and cadence of the patients improve. With the use of an adjustable AFO, there is an approach towards the physiological gait. During the process, the N.A.P.® Gait Classification is a good means for standardising and optimising orthotic treatment.

Keywords: stroke, classification, physiotherapy, ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), gait analysis

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