While staring Ambulation Training In Spinal Cord Injury we commonly prescribe KAFO for standing and walking. But there is always a dilemma between KAFO with static ankle unit and dynamic ankle while prescribing KAFO in spinal cord injury.
How to decide between with static dynamic ankle unit and dynamic while prescribing KAFO in spinal cord injury?
When patients with spinal cord injury poor control in trunk then use static ankle.
How to check trunk control in SCI?
Make patient sit bed side with hand support if he is able to stabilize himself and hold the trunk upright with or without hand support. That means he is able to manage his trunk stability.
Is it the best way to check trunk control and standing balance with KAFO?
No the best way is give trail standing with KAFO & walker. You should always have a pair of KAFO spare in department to give a trail of standing. In standing if he manages his trunk stability and doesn’t sways a lot. That means he has poor stability in trunk and he won’t able mange the balance in standing with dynamic AFO. So we should give static ankle KAFO.
ON AN AVERAGE RULE
Always give static ankle KAFO in acute rehabilitation; we can convert static into dynamic when he is having good balance while walking.
If still not clear with the idea and not able to decide and you are in the dilemma then give static ankle KAFO
