Outcomes in Upright Mobility in Individuals With a Spinal Cord Injury
By Chafetz, Ross S.; Johnston, Therese E.; Calhoun, Christina L.; Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 94-108Publication Date: Spring 2005
Article discusses recent outcomes for upright mobility for people with spinal cord injuries who use either long leg braces or functional electrical stimulation with limited bracing. Two types of long leg braces are discussed: (1) hip-knee-ankle foot orthoses (HKAFO), and (2) knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFO). An HKAFO is an orthotic device with components that stabilize the joints below the waist, while a KAFO consists of thigh cuffs attached to metal bars, which are joined at the ankle and attached to an ankle-foot orthosis or to a shoe. These devices are usually prescribed to people with a lower level spinal cord injury. Lower extremity functional electrical stimulation (FES) is another option for providing upright mobility for people with complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries. Stimulation is applied through electrodes placed both on the skin surface and directly into the muscles. One FES system called the Parastep, which is the only commercially available system, enables a walking pattern by stimulating the gluteals and/or back extensors, the quadriceps, and the peroneal nerve. Stimulation is provided via microcomputer.
Published by: Thomas Land Publishers, Inc. (Website:http://www.thomasland.com)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J48963
