Dictus Band vs Solid

Polypropylene Plastic AFO for

Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Megan Ready & Allison Thelen
 Patient History
• 35 y/o female
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Right lower extremity weakness
• Gait deficits
• No pain
• Orders from physician
 Clinical Question
Is the Dictus Band Ankle Foot
Orthosis (AFO) (I) as effective in
improving gait (O) as the solid
polypropylene plastic AFO (C) in
patients with multiple sclerosis (P)?
 Background & Purpose
• Prevalence increasing, 2.8 million1
• Gait limitations are common2
• AFO helpful in ambulation 
• Decreased speed, skin irritation3
• Plastic Polypropylene AFO vs. Dictus band AFO

1. What is MS | Multiple Sclerosis. MS International Federation. Published October 25 2021.

https://www.msif.org/about-ms/what-is-ms/?lang=ar. Accessed December 9, 2022.
2. MS symptoms & signs of MS | National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Walking-Gait-Balance-Coordination. Accessed
December 9, 2022. 
3. A. KH, Gh. A, M. A, et al. Design and preliminary evaluation of a new ankle foot orthosis on kinetics and kinematics
parameters for multiple sclerosis patients. J Biomed Phys Eng. 2020;10(6):783-792. doi:10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2007-1136 
Dictus indoor midfoot cuff.
OAPL. Published 2021.
Accessed December 12,
2022. https://oaplshop.com.a
u/dictus-indoor-midfoot-cuff

Dictus band. OAPL. Published 2021. Accessed December

12, 2022. https://oaplshop.com.au/dictus-band Model B2. U.S. orthotics. Accessed December 12,
2022. https://usorthotics.com/products/model-b2

Dictus-Band AFO Polypropylene plastic AFO

 Subjects
• 20 subjects
• Inclusion criteria
– MS level of disability
• Shirley MFIS test4
• Foot drop required
– Ages 20-50

4. Ryan S. Modified fatigue impact scale. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Updated December 10, 2012. Accessed December 9,
2022. https://www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/modified-
fatigue-impact-scale.
 Subjects
• Exclusion criteria:
– Neurologic disorders
– History of musculoskeletal injuries in LE in last 6
months
• Word-of-mouth recruitment
 Methodology
• Cross-over study design
• Random assignment
• 10-meter walk test
– Baseline
– Intervention 1
– Intervention 2
• Comfort surveys
Comfort Scale Survey
Step
length

Step
width
 Data Analysis
• Primary outcomes
– Spatiotemporal parameters of gait
• Speed
• Step width
• Step length
• Secondary outcomes
– Comfort level
 Statistical Methods
• Kolmogorov-Smirnov test
• Dependent T-test within subjects
• Independent variable
• Dependent variables
 Anticipated Results
• Dictus-Band
– similar effects on gait
– increased comfort
• Elastic- ankle mobility
 Conclusion
• Quality of Life
• Efficiency
• Limitations