Stance-controlled articulated ankle-foot orthosis

A method of selectively, substantially preventing movement of a foot of a user relative to a leg of the user when walking on a walking surface comprising:

• providing an ankle-foot orthosis to be worn by the user comprising:
• a foot mold configured to be worn on at least a portion of the foot of the user, the foot mold having a sole, a proximal end configured to be positioned adjacent a heel of the user when the orthosis is worn, an opposed distal end configured to be positioned adjacent a toe of the user when the orthosis is worn, and a longitudinal axis:
• a shank mold having a longitudinal axis and configured to be worn on at least a portion of the leg of the user, wherein the shank mold is spaced from the foot mold such that a gap is defined between the foot mold and the shank mold, and wherein the shank mold is connected to the foot mold by a connector;
• a forefoot sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the distal end of the foot mold;
• a heel sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the proximal end of the foot mold;
• a stop movable about and between a closed stop position, in which at least a portion of the stop is positioned in the gap between the foot mold and the shank mold, and an open stop position, in which the stop is retracted from the gap, wherein in the closed stop position, the foot mold is substantially restricted from moving relative to the shank mold, and wherein in the open stop position, the foot mold is movable relative to the shank mold;
• and
• a connecting mechanism coupled to the stop, the forefoot sensor and the heel sensor, wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop in response to a signal from at least one of the heel sensor and the forefoot sensor.