STROKE: Eight weeks of early AFO use significantly enhances benefits of stroke rehabilitation

They went about this research wrong. The question to answer is; Which method leads to better ambulation without the AFO?  The whole point is to walk them out of the AFO.
http://lermagazine.com/issues/march/eight-weeks-of-early-afo-use-significantly-enhances-benefits-of-stroke-rehabilitation
Use of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) within six weeks of stroke results in better balance outcomes and earlier independent ambulation than if AFO use is delayed, according to research from the Netherlands.
Investigators from Roessingh Research & Development in Enschede randomized 18 patients to receive AFOs at either the time of inclusion in the study (within six weeks of stroke) or eight weeks later. Both groups received the same rehabilitation, with a focus on balance and ambulation, the only difference being that the “late” group did the first eight weeks of rehabilitation without an AFO while the “early” group did all rehabilitation while wearing AFOs. Balance measures were assessed every two weeks for 16 weeks.
AFOs were prefabricated nonarticulated devices made from polypropylene in three different rigidities to accommodate a range of patient needs. Device fitting involved particular attention to the alignment of the AFO within the shoe and the alignment of the knee and hip, said Jaap Buurke, PT, PhD, scientific manager of the research cluster Restoration and Human Function at Roessingh Research & Development, who presented his group’s findings at the ISPO World Congress in Hyderabad on behalf of graduate student Corien Nikamp.
At follow up, both groups demonstrated significant improvement on the Berg Balance Scale and Functional Ambulation Categories balance tests, but improvements in the early AFO group were more pronounced and occurred earlier than in the late group. Early AFO users achieved independent ambulation earlier than those in the late group, and there was a trend toward better outcomes on the 10-m walk test, six-minute walk test, and Timed Up and Go test for the early group.

More at link.