Orthotic
A Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (KAFO) is a custom made brace that starts
above the knee and extends all the way down the leg to the end of the
toes. These braces will normally include a knee joint and possibly an
ankle joint as well. A KAFO is prescribed by your physician when there
is significant weakness and/or instability at the knee and ankle joints.
The KAFO will allow patients to stand by locking the knee joint in the
brace when the thigh muscles are too weak to support the knee. This
brace can also reduce significant knee hyperextension (genu
recurvatum) during the gait cycle. KAFOs can be extended to the hip to
provide additional support to the hip joint if necessary.
The KAFO is commonly used in the treatment of:
1-Blount’s Disease 2-Genu Recurvatum 3-Post-Polio
4-Spinal Cord Injury 5-Arthrogryposis 6-Cerebral Palsy
7-Polio 8-Spina Bifida
At your initial assessment you will meet with your Orthotist to go
through a complete assessment of your strength and range of motion
and undergo an observational gait analysis. There are many different
designs of KAFOs, each with different functions and levels of support.
In collaboration with your Orthotist at OrthoProActive and your health
team, we will determine which KAFO design will help to provide you
with the best functional outcomes.
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