A Dynamic Anti-Equinus Orthosis with Electromyography Sensor for Neuromuscular Rehabilitation

TL;DR

This paper introduces EquiSay, a novel dynamic orthosis with EMG sensors and AI-based signal generation, aimed at improving gait and providing real-time neuromuscular feedback for neuromuscular rehabilitation.

Contribution

The study presents a new orthosis with integrated EMG monitoring and synthetic data generation, advancing personalized rehabilitation tools for equinus foot.

Findings

Improved dorsiflexion in patients

Enhanced patient satisfaction

Potential for AI-driven rehabilitation insights

Abstract

The equinus foot is a neuromuscular condition that affects ankle dorsiflexion, impairing gait and reducing quality of life. This study presents EquiSay, a dynamic anti-equinus orthosis equipped with an anterior elastic tension system and an electromyography (EMG) sensor to quantify muscle activation, particularly of the tibialis anterior. EquiSay provides dynamic support that improves foot posture and natural movement while enabling real-time neuromuscular monitoring. To address the limited availability of EMG data, the system incorporates a U-Net based model for generating synthetic EMG signals and a predictive framework for automatic calibration of minimum activation thresholds. Experimental results show improved dorsiflexion, increased patient satisfaction, and valuable clinical insights for rehabilitation planning. These findings highlight the potential of EquiSay as an assistive tool and as a platform for future AI-enhanced developments.