Good afternoon,
I am seeking alternatives to a typical plastic KAFO. Patient is a 44 year old morbidly obese female with decreased balance, right plantarflexion contracture, genu recurvatum, and seizures-she had a hemispherectomy as a child. She has worn an AFO in the past and, more often and more recently, a KAFO with posterior offset knee joints. She hates wearing a KAFO and wants to go back to an AFO, despite the extent of her genu recurvatum. She complains that-despite adjustments (last ones only worked for a couple weeks, she said)-she has permanent bruising from being pinched at the proximal medial thigh as well as posterior to the knee whenever she gets in/out of a car, toilets, etc. Over the years, she has had KAFOs of varying proximal heights, gone through multiple adjustments, wears interfaces (including jeans), all to make no difference in her getting pinched. She might consider wearing a knee orthosis in addition to an AFO-emphasis on the word “might.”
Any suggestions on something between a plastic KAFO and an AFO that would avoid pinching of the excess soft tissue while preventing genu recurvatum?
Thank you in advance for your time.
Gretchen Wellman
(She/Her/Hers)
Certified Orthotist
[cid:[email protected]]
Northern Orthopedics
3400 LaTouche St #100 Anchorage, AK 99508
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