If you suffer from knee pain, are recovering from surgery, or injured your knee, your doctor may have prescribed you a KAFO (knee-ankle foot orthosis) brace. A KAFO knee brace is an innovative knee support designed to help with stability and support, allowing its users to regain their mobility and independence.
Proper limb alignment and motion can be challenging after injuries, weakness, or paralysis. Thus, orthotic devices like the knee-ankle orthosis brace provide extra support and correct deformities. The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development states that over 800,000 Americans use lower-limb orthotic devices.
KAFO is versatile and offers a range of benefits, from rehabilitation to restoration of foot functionality. This article helps you understand what it is, its functions, and what makes it unique from other knee braces.
What is a KAFO Knee Brace?
A knee-ankle foot orthosis brace is a custom-made knee support enclosing the knee, ankle, and foot regions. It is designed to offer support for individuals with physical and neurological problems in the lower limbs. This brace is tailor-made to fit every individual’s need or diagnosis. While there are various options for KAFO knee braces, a scan and cast of a patient enables doctors to suggest the most appropriate device. The KAFO knee brace is intended for your use and will conform to your leg and ankle shape.
The brace aims to minimize joint pain and control joint instability and alignment. It comprises light carbon fiber composites or thermoplastics for lightweight and comfort. It is also composed of leather and metal structures for external support purposes. The KAFO knee brace consists of an upper thigh cuff, a hinged knee joint, and a lower leg cuff for controlled motion. While old designs lock at the knee causing gait problems and muscle atrophy, modern ones lock and unlock automatically to ease walking.
There are two knee brace designs; the plastic and metallic KAFO. The thermoplastic KAFO has a plastic section worn against the back of the leg and foot. The metal and leather brace has two bands, one around your thigh and the other around your calf. Both are designed to insert into your shoe.
Functions of the Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis Brace
The KAFO knee brace is a game changer in terms of support and restoring pain-free movement. It supports the leg from the knee to the ankle and assists with stabilizing the joints in the ambulation phase. It also helps to bring realignment to some joints and prevent painful movement. The following are functions of knee ankle foot orthosis braces.
Correcting Gait and Misalignment
If you suffer from gait issues, you could have poor balance, in which case your doctor may prescribe the KAFO knee brace. It helps to correct abnormal gait caused by deformities or muscular weaknesses by providing knee joint independence.
Additionally, it establishes proper alignment of the lower limbs and restores your regular walking style. The brace corrects gait by supporting the knee with an automatic lock and unlocks at ideal times.
Rehabilitation and Post-Surgery Support
After knee or ankle surgery, you may find it challenging to move. Luckily, the KAFO knee braces are effective in post-surgery support by allowing the affected areas to heal. The braces prevent unnecessary movement after surgery that may cause pain and slow recovery.
General Support and Stabilization
One of the significant roles of knee ankle foot orthosis brace is to provide support in the knees and joints. They reduce excess movement reducing the risk of falls and injuries, and provide limb control. Patients with instability issues caused by polio, paralysis, cerebral palsy, stroke, etc., with poor control of their limbs can benefit from KAFO knee braces.
Reducing Pain
You can use KAFO knee braces for pain relief from joint pain. For patients with arthritis and muscle weakness, excessive movement can be painful. KAFO knee braces help to reduce pain by distributing pressure from the affected joints. The braces help with movement and independence by increasing pain-free mobility.
Who Should Use a Knee Foot Ankle Orthosis Brace?
The KAFO knee brace is versatile, and doctors prescribe it for various problems ranging from trauma to muscle weakness to leg paralysis to deformity correction in children. Before determining who should use the braces, it’s important to note that they are in three categories.
The first category is the free-moving KAFOs ideal for cases of slight weaknesses. Then there are the locked KAFOs for treating severe paralysis, resulting in abnormal gait. Lastly, automatic KAFOs treat severe paralysis but don’t affect gait.
The following are the conditions for which KAFO is best.
Neurological conditions
Patients with neurological conditions such as polio, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, and motor neuron diseases can benefit from KAFO.
Physical conditions
Patients with muscle weakness, deformity, knee hyperextension, foot drop, and other skeletal misalignments can also use the knee-ankle foot orthosis brace.
How is the KAFO DIfferent from Other Knee Braces?
KAFO stands out from other knee braces by its functionality. They are also unique and advanced from other braces because they provide support and directly control the knee, ankle, and foot. These braces are also designed to extend from the thigh to the foot, providing maximum stability during ambulation. Unlike ordinary knee braces, A KAFO knee brace handles knee, foot, and ankle control. This makes it ideal for patients with weakened muscles and neurological issues to regain mobility and support.
The KAFO knee braces have an advantage over other knee braces in that they are customizable. They are made to meet specific patient requirements ensuring optimal support. Doctors can fit them with unique straps and locks and adjust them for added flexibility. In case of paralysis, knee buckling, or knee hyperextension, the KAFO is better suited to provide support by improving joint alignment. KAFO knee braces are also unique because doctors can prescribe them long-term. Luckily, they are designed with robust materials to make them durable.
Is a KAFO Knee Brace Right for You?
Knee ankle foot orthosis braces undoubtedly offer many benefits to their users. They have revolutionized the lives of many suffering from lower limb impairments. By reducing pain and correcting their gait, KAFO knee braces have enhanced their quality of life.
Knee ankle foot orthosis brace has restored human confidence and dignity by assisting even people with neurological problems to move. It is an essential tool in a world where accidents and diseases are inevitable to reduce pain and offer support.
Is pain hindering your movement and flexibility? At Icarus Medical, we believe that everyone deserves a pain-free, active life. Thus we have developed a new class of KAFO knee braces that shifts weight from your knees, minimizing pain.
Our scan-to-fit process ensures you get the best-fitting lightweight brace to help with your pain. Contact us today for a comprehensive assessment of your individual case to see if we would be a good fit for you.
