Exam 3 Flashcards
Gait
- more detailed aspects of walking instructions
- takes skill
- how to do heel to toe push off, weight shifts, up and down stairs, doorways, etc
Ambulation
- just walking around with patient
- not something to be paid for
- no skilled intervention
NWB
- non weight bearing
- no weight allowed on LE
TTWB & TDWB
- toe-touch weight bearing
- toe-down weight bearing
- foot may touch or rest on the floor for balance, but no weight can go through the foot
PWB
- partial weight bearing
- usually a percent of body weight from 20-50%
WBAT
- weight bearing as tolerated
- patient determines how much weight to put on the LE
FWB
- no limitation on weight bearing status
Who decides the weight bearing status
- physician, not you
- must track down physician if not in chart
Reasons to protect a limb from full WB
- healing after a fracture, surgery
- protection of a joint during an inflamed status
- decrease in pain with pressure on joint
- for every pound of weight loss, there is 4lbs less pressure on knee jt
Methods of monitoring weight bearing status
- bathroom scale
- limb-load monitor
- computerized monitor
Bathroom scale method of monitoring WB status
- pos: cheap and most common method
- neg: must have a static position, need two similar ones
Limb load monitor method of WB status
- pos: can do dynamic training, low in cost
- neg: not the person’s own shoe, hard to find a shoe that matches the height
Computerized monitor of WB status
- pos: dynamic, uses patient’s own shoes
- neg: expensive
Patient assessment for ambulation aids
- safety
- impaired balance
- alteration in coordination movements
- pain during WB
- absence of lower extremity
- altered stability
Outcomes of ambulation aids
- improve functional mobility
- allow LE weight bearing adjustments to assist with fracture healing, etc
- safety
Preparing for ambulation
- review medical chart
- assess patient’s ROM, muscle performance, sensation, balance/coordination, cognition
- make sure they know how to use ambulation aid properly
Pre-ambulation considerations
- assistive device selection
- amount of PA needed
- safety 1-2 person PA
- gait belts
- patient’s tolerance/vitals
- cognition/ability to follow commands
Ambulation aids
- tilt table
- standing frames
- parallel bars
- platform walkers
- walkers
- rolling walkers
- crutches
- standard cane, LBQC, SBQC, hemi-walker
- age, physical ability, balance, and activity help determine
Tilt Table
- orthostatic hypotension
- check BP and HR
- abdominal binder
- elastic thigh - or - knee-high stockings (TED hose)
- E-stim
- may help manage spasticity
Indications to use tilt table
- SCI
- LE amputees
- obese
- prolonged bed rest
- if BP drops when sit up all way
Standing Frames
- same indications and considerations as tilt table
- very variable
Parallel Bars
- maximal stability, support, safety
- confidence booster
- pre-gait and gait activities
- adjustable height and width
- limited length
- constant turning around
- helps with weight shifting
Platform walkers
- use when need significant trunk support
- very weak LE muscles
Muscle strength testing
- scale 1-5 (low to high)
- 1 = can see muscle contracting/trying but little to no movement of extremity
- 2 = can’t do movement against gravity
- 3 = can do movement without resistance
- 4 = use moderate resistance and can still hold
- 5 = normal strength, can hold against resistance and can take maximal hold
- need at least 4 to walk well in LE.
Platform walkers
- use when greater trunk support needed and LE weakness, reduced ROM or pain, or when UE contracture or wrist/hand injury prevents WB
- very weak LE muscles
- pacer
Standard Walker
- patient must be able to lift and advance walker
- greater attention demand
- adjustable, nonadjustable
- folding
- reciprocal
- must be able to pick it up and move it
- no wheels
- doesn’t allow for normal gait training b/c doesn’t move how do during walking
Rolling walkers indications
- cognition/unable to follow commands
- cardiopulmonary issues
- patient carries standard walker
- therapist advocated more continuous gait pattern
Height of walkers
- higher for back surgeries
Rolling walker stability
- less stable than 4 pt or 3 pt
- people that need stability but are limited from picking up walker (cadiovasc issues) use ones with wheels even if not best for stability
Handgrip measure on walker
- level of greater trochanter
- level or ulnar styloid process
- level of wrist crease
Elbow flexion measure on walker
- 20-25deg flexion
Walker feet measure on walker
- middle of foot, all four walker feet on ground
- hips and knees straight
- middle of foot lines up with back two feet of walker
Disadvantages of walker
- difficult to store/transport
- stairs
- slower
- decreased stride length
- crowds = not good
- possible hand injuries b/c too much elbow extension creating more wrist extension
Walker modifications
- walker replacement glides (made of water-resistant plastic, make moving across any surface smooth)
- walker replacement hand grips
- allow more mobility but less stability
Axillary crutches
- more mobility, less stability
- greater speed
- cognition
- coordination
Crutches anatomy
- crutch pad = top part under armpit
- hand grip = what hold onto
- crutch length adjustment area = bottom portion
Axillary crutch fit
- 77% times height of patient in inches
- standing: 2-3 finger widths between axillary pads and axilla
- elbow flexion: 20-25deg
- crutch tips on ground, 2 inches lateral, 4-6 inches anterior to tip of shoe
- avoid wrist flexion or extension while grasping hand grip
Common errors in axillary crutch fitting
- shoulder elevation
- shoulder depression
- no shoes vs shoes on….know the different lengths of measurements so can adjust depending on activities
- absence of tripod position (crutches are brought out from body) during adjustments
- always reassess fitting prior to ambulation
disadvantage of axillary crutches
- decreased stability
- possible injury to brachial plexus and blood vessels, hands
- require strong, UEs, endurance, coordination, balance, cognition
Forearm crutches
- loftstrand, canadian
- bilateral UE support, not as much WB
- hands can be free when standing