背景與目的：探討為期3 週之物理治療合併客製化足部穩定支架介入對具備站立能力但尚未具備獨立行走 能力之低張力發展遲緩幼童之站立平衡與移行功能的成效。方法：共計11 位受試者（19.4 ± 2.9 月）接受每 週一次40 分鐘的物理治療以改善其肌力、平衡、感覺動作整合與功能性移動能力，並且受試個案的父母親被 要求必須讓受試個案在居家站立活動時穿客製化足部穩定支架至少1 天達2 小時。成效評量包括獨立穩定站立 時間、穩定站立時身體壓力中心的移動軌跡長度及面積、皮巴迪動作評量第二版之部分移行能力題項的總分、 能獨立連續行走不跌倒的步數。結果：威爾考克森等級符號檢定的結果顯示受試者之站立平衡與移行功能有顯 著進步。結論：為期3 週之物理治療合併客製化足部穩定支架介入對具備站立能力但尚未具備獨立行走能力之 低張力發展遲緩幼童可能有助益。研究結果可以提供作為對具備站立能力但尚未具備獨立行走能力之低張力發 展遲緩幼童選用足部支架的參考。

Background and Purpose: Foot orthosis is often introduced in conjunction with physiotherapy to correct faulty foot postures and enhance motor function for children with hypotonia; however, the effects of stabilizing foot splints (SFSs) remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the effects of physiotherapy and custom-modified SFSs on standing balance and mobility in children with hypotonia and developmental delay who could stand alone but could not walk independently yet over a three-week intervention period. Methods: Eleven participants (19.4 ± 2.9 months) were prospectively enrolled. All participants were provided 40-minute physiotherapy once a week that aimed at improving their strength, balance, sensorimotor organization, and functional mobility and parents were advised to have their child wear custom-modified SFSs during standing activities at home for at least 2 hours a day. Outcome variables examined included the amount of time that the participants could independently stand, the path length and the area of center of pressure (COP) excursions while standing steadily, the sum of scores on selected standing mobility items of the locomotion subtest of Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-II, and the number of steps that the participants could walk independently without falling. All outcomes measured while barefoot before and after a three-week intervention period were examined and compared. Results: Results of Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed significant improvements in standing balance and mobility after three-week intervention, including a longer duration of standing time, a smaller postural sway area while standing, higher scores on standing mobility, and greater number of steps of independent walking. Conclusions: The present results showed that children with hypotonia and developmental delay who could stand alone but could not walk independently might benefit from the three-week intervention involving use of custommodified SFSs and physiotherapy and exhibited improved standing balance and mobility even without the subsequent aid of custom-modified SFSs. However, findings of this study were preliminary and we could not exclude the result of developmental maturation; further study with more rigorous study design is warranted. Results obtained may assist physical therapists and parents in making orthotic decision when managing children with hypotonia and developmental delay who could stand alone but could not walk independently.