I have a fellow who was involved in a severe car accident many years ago.
Head injury, left symes amputation and has developed a severe genu valgus
deformity on the right. Not a surgical candidate for a TKR. We are
treating the right knee with double upright carbon graphite KAFO. He also
has a tendency to flex the knee when walking. His previous KAFO had a
locking knee joint and a double action ankle, but he never actually engaged
the lock, & simply walked with the knee bent.
Recently made him a new KAFO with free motion knee( did not see the point n
a lock that never get used) with a rigid ankle to encourage knee extension,
and reduce overall bilk of the brace at the ankle. However, he is simply
flexing the hip & knee and walking on the toe like a crouch gait CP.
Otherwise fits & functions great, just cant get he knee to extend!
I think he avoids full extension of the knee because the valgus deformity
tends to increase at full extension. Problem is the crouch gait is taxing
the rest of the body.
Any thoughts as to how to encourage knee extension?
—
Jeffrey Ball B.Sc. C.P.O.(c)
Lethbridge Orthotic-Prosthetic Services Ltd.
TEL: (403) 328-1144
FAX: (403) 328-1137
