Hello List members,
I have a post polio client who walked in using a single point cane and a
dorsi assist AFO with a lateral upright Klensaz style ankle joint attached
to a plastic foot plate. The joint was basically free motion due to a
broken spring.
She has no strength at the ankle, poor strength at the knee and hip flexors
and abductors at hip and fair hip extensors. She admits to falling a few
times as one would guess.
She told me she usually uses a walker, but on flat and level ground, she can
ambulate with just the cane. She didn’t tolerate a KAFO and prefers her AFO
despite it’s shortcomings and the occasional falls.
I’m interested in a lightweight AFO joint that will provide dorsiflexion
assistance during swing, very low resistance to plantar flexion during
initial loading and then gradually increasing (and adjustable) dorsiflexion
motion resistance until terminal stance and then it would maintain
dorsiflexion assistance through mid-swing up to initial contact.
This would function as the hydraulic ankle control unit was intended to
function in the “UCLA Functional Long Leg Brace”. (I’m dating myself here.)
About 10-15 years ago I remember seeing a special ankle joint that was
incorporated into a prefab short plastic type AFO that seemed to have a
fluid-type yielding to force depending on which direction the force was
applied to the foot plate. I can’t recall the specifics of exactly how it
functioned but maybe someone has or can invent something using current
technology.
Please let me know your thoughts/suggestions!
Thanks,
Randy McFarland, CPO
Fullerton, CA
