KAFO Design Principles

Question 1

When a KAFO is designed to accommodate knee flexion contractures:

Answer 1

• locks are almost always needed
• the feet must be set in compensatory dorsiflexion
• the patient can ambulate

Question 2

One disadvantage of offset knee joints is:

Answer 2

The possible unintentional unlocking on uneven terrain

Question 3

The first step of good KAFO design is:

Answer 3

Patient evaluation

Question 4

For patients with fixed deformities, the KAFO:

Answer 4

Should not attempt to correct the deformities

Question 5

Drop lock (ring lock) knee joints:

Answer 5

• are the most commonly used locking knee joint
• require two hands to unlock
• will lock only when the joint reaches full extension