Use and Usability Of Custom-Made Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses In Polio Survivors with Knee Instability: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
Bart Raijmakers, Roelofine A Berendsen-de Gooijer, Hilde E Ploeger and 3 others
PMID 34931255WHAT IT FOUND
Most polio survivors continued using custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthoses, often all day.
Those who stopped reported the device hindered activities, failed to reduce problems, or fit poorly. Users with better baseline walking ability and no prior orthosis experience were more likely to discontinue use.
Key findings
01Seventy-six percent of surveyed polio survivors used their custom-made KAFO in daily life, with a median wearing time of 13 hours per day.
02Discontinued users were significantly more likely to have a swing-cycle KAFO and to be first-time orthosis users compared to continued users.
03Users reported greater perceived effectiveness and satisfaction with orthosis aspects than discontinued users, who cited hindrance during activities and poor fit as main reasons for stopping.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a single expert centre, so results may not apply to general orthotic care settings. Responses relied on self-report and recall, which may be inaccurate, especially for those who discontinued use years prior. Some survey questions were not validated. The sample size for subgroup analyses, particularly discontinued users, was small (n=24).
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was not funded by a specific grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a high overall usage rate means the device is effective for everyone. The study shows that patients who stopped using the KAFO were often those with better baseline mobility or no prior orthosis experience, suggesting the device may offer less perceived benefit to these groups.