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Post by deejay on Apr 29, 2020 22:06:31 GMT
I am just wondering how 'normal' it would be for a kafo wearer to walk around with the knee joints not locked? I enjoy wearing mine both locked and unlocked but neither in public so far. In the unlikely event that I were to be seen by anyone who actually knew about such things, would it be considered strange that I was walking normally with them unlocked? Somehow its being able to walk about fairly normally whilst wearing them that is appealing, but then being able to lock them in certain circumstances, like standing for any length of time.
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Post by castmenow on Apr 30, 2020 5:59:32 GMT
I know that some of the newer knee joints are more complex and allow the knee to bend during walking but lock automatically when standing. These can either be a posterior offset knee joint where the hinge pin is behind the uprights so when standing the weight is in front of the hinge and the brace will not bend or the locking mechanism is opened by a cable attached to the ankle joint so when the whole leg bends forward at the ankle, the knee unlocks. Therefore, the concept is applied, but I do not know what condition would allow such a brace to be used but they probably need you to have some residual muscle control and a mechanically sound knee joint, partial nerve damage through a leg injury maybe. If you search stance control brace or kafo offset knee you may find some info.
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Post by rowland on May 1, 2020 14:57:23 GMT
A reason for walking around with the knee-locks unlocked might be that the KAFO's main purpose is to control sideways movement at the knee, knock-knee (valgus) or bow-leg (varus). My knee-locks have catches which require deliberate locking and unlocking by hand. I have just tried to walk with knee unlocked and it was very awkward because I have a neuromuscular problem with my right leg. Early on in the process of getting a leg-brace (after a lifetime of wanting one) the orthotist probably suspected I was a pretender because I had no medical diagnosis. After other devices he gave me a thermoplastic and shiny metal KAFO with an offset knee-lock. It might be what you need but I failed to learn the ploy of keeping it locked by controlling the centre of gravity. Last year ( when at last I was in the process of getting a proper diagnosis) he proposed a stance control orthosis. He gave me a brochure and a pocket guide to spinal injuries and orthoses produced by the manufacturer Fior and Gentz. I read it and worked out for myself that an SCO was not appropriate. At the following appointment, to my relief, he agreed. Phew! I want to be a leg-bracer not a robot!
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Post by rowland on May 1, 2020 15:00:11 GMT
P.S. My "partial nerve damage" is called a lumbar plexopathy! Is that enough to baffle people?
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Post by deejay on May 1, 2020 22:11:16 GMT
Yes I had wondered if the best reason would be to avoid sideways movement. Also perhaps to avoid the knee going beyond straight. (Is that called hyper / hypo (?) flexion). Anyway, the first hurdle is to work up the courage to go away somewhere and wear it in the open (assuming we are ever allowed to go anywhere again), and the second thing is that it is likely that no one would ever ask anyway
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Post by rowland on May 2, 2020 8:42:47 GMT
Let's stop using the word "normal". My slogan for wearing a brace is "Confidence and Comfort". Confidence: Is it safe? Can I stand safely? Can I walk safely? Can I do every day tasks safely? Does it allow me to function in society as an independent person? Comfort: Is it comfortable? Do I feel good about wearing it? By myself? With friends and family? In public? If these are seen as criteria to be met, then they may also be seen as goals along the path to accepting the brace(s) and to being accepted as a brace-wearer. i want to add that the long-standing problem of wanting a leg-brace was not immediately solved by the NHS accepting me as a patient who needed an AFO, then a KAFO. Thanks for getting me thinking in this time of lockdown.
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Post by deejay on May 2, 2020 16:21:28 GMT
Castmenow and Rowland....I have sent personal messages
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Post by rowland on Aug 19, 2020 17:05:56 GMT
I am just wondering how 'normal' it would be for a kafo wearer to walk around with the knee joints not locked? I enjoy wearing mine both locked and unlocked but neither in public so far. In the unlikely event that I were to be seen by anyone who actually knew about such things, would it be considered strange that I was walking normally with them unlocked? Somehow its being able to walk about fairly normally whilst wearing them that is appealing, but then being able to lock them in certain circumstances, like standing for any length of time. Before I got the first KAFO with knee locks the cautious orthotist gave me one with free knee joints. In theory I could lock the knee by putting my weight in the right place but I never mastered them. They might be what you need.
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Post by castmenow on Aug 19, 2020 17:47:32 GMT
.....Somehow its being able to walk about fairly normally whilst wearing them that is appealing, but then being able to lock them in certain circumstances, like standing for any length of time. Funnily enough seeing this thread reactivating today I spent the afternoon in both of my KAFOs whilst doing some jobs in my workshop but did not fully straighten my knees so the locks did not lock. It was an interesting and enjoyable experience as I could wear my braces but still do most things. I had to kneel down to do some of the work and found that this was quite difficult as the knees to not flex much more than 90 degrees and once down getting back up was troublesome. I had to modify the way I did that bit of the work.
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Post by dickie1brace on Aug 20, 2020 10:50:34 GMT
For what it's worth, a carbon fibre KAFO has just sold on e-bay which had a remote knee unlocking handle (thigh cuff mounted). What drew my attention was the fact that the unlocking handle had a slot in its mounting which allowed it to be held in the unlocked position. It was pretty obvious to me that it was originally designed for someone who did not need their knee locked all the time.
I have also witnessed an adult polio victim 'running' after a child - the adult appeared not have time to allow the knee lock to engage and was able to put weight on his (semi?)-paralysed leg such that the knee bent half way when he put his weight on it. It wasn't pretty but he was certainly mobile without his knee locked.
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Post by rowland on Aug 20, 2020 15:59:40 GMT
A reason for walking around with the knee-locks unlocked might be that the KAFO's main purpose is to control sideways movement at the knee, knock-knee (valgus) or bow-leg (varus). My knee-locks have catches which require deliberate locking and unlocking by hand. I have just tried to walk with knee unlocked and it was very awkward because I have a neuromuscular problem with my right leg. Early on in the process of getting a leg-brace (after a lifetime of wanting one) the orthotist probably suspected I was a pretender because I had no medical diagnosis. After other devices he gave me a thermoplastic and shiny metal KAFO with an offset knee-lock. It might be what you need but I failed to learn the ploy of keeping it locked by controlling the centre of gravity. Last year ( when at last I was in the process of getting a proper diagnosis) he proposed a stance control orthosis. He gave me a brochure and a pocket guide to spinal injuries and orthoses produced by the manufacturer Fior and Gentz. I read it and worked out for myself that an SCO was not appropriate. At the following appointment, to my relief, he agreed. Phew! I want to be a leg-bracer not a robot! I have since tried to wear the KAFO with offset knee-lock but find it unsatisfactory because I have never got the knack of putting my weight in front of the joint to make it lock! The reason I have tried it recently is that it has a thermoplastic shell at calf and foot which inserts into footwear. I have been keeping my feet uncovered because of fungal infection of toe-nails. I could try using it wearing sandals with crutches if we get any more fine weather. And yes there are problems if you try kneeling. Before I needed a brace medically I only made myself a brace for one leg, though I think the leg varied! And yet my original inspiration was the childhood friend who wore metal and leather AFOs on both lower legs. The visitor who came to our house when I was in my early teens had one lull-length caliper. This image must have overridden the earlier one. The Stance Control Orthosis, which I was glad not to be provided with, might be worth trying. They have been around for twenty years, long enough for users to have rejected them or died! But they are only just being prescribed in UK because of expense and need for training. I would think they are rare and expensive second-hand. my weight in fron
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Post by misterfingers on Aug 22, 2020 22:11:48 GMT
Hi I do not need to wear a Kafo, but I have worn one on odd occasions publicly. (PostS are elsewhere here). I really like the feeling of the knee locked. I did unlock it when doing too many steps! That half restricted feeling is also good. I think it’s the lack of rotation. Why do I like wearing my Kafo at night with knee locked (and heavy boots) Kafo on right leg, stiff plastic AFO on left leg (and knee immobiliser)? I lie on my bed unable to bend either leg, but I feel totally at ease with myself. I’m wondering if it is to counteract those dreams one gets when you can’t run away from something. Any thoughts? Kafo wearing is fulfilling some of my fantasies ignited in childhood, seeing people in braces and casts.
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Post by castmenow on Aug 26, 2020 6:56:10 GMT
I have no idea about wearing a KAFO with locked knees and feeling at ease with yourself is a response to dreams where you can not run away. I believe your final point is the clue, it fulfills desires / fantasies that you had from an early age seeing / interacting with people in braces or casts. That is certainly the case for me.
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