Use and Usability Of Custom-Made Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses In Polio Survivors with Knee Instability: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the use of custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthoses in daily life and differences in usability factors of knee-ankle-foot orthoses between users and discontinued users.

DESIGN:

Cross-sectional survey study.

SUBJECTS:

A total of 163 polio survivors provided with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis at an outpatient clinic of a university hospital.

METHODS:

Use and usability of knee-ankle-foot orthoses in daily life were assessed with a postal questionnaire. Usability factors were formulated using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9241-11 standard.

RESULTS:

A total of 106 respondents (65%) returned the questionnaire. Of these, 98 were eligible for analysis. Seventy-four respondents (76%) reported using their knee-ankle-foot orthosis. Compared with discontinued users (24%), users experienced more limitations when walking without an orthosis (p = 0.001), were more often experienced with wearing a previous orthosis (p < 0.001) and were more often prescribed with a locked rather than a stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis (p = 0.015). Furthermore, users reported better effectiveness of their knee-ankle-foot orthosis (p < 0.001), more satisfaction with goals of use and knee-ankle-foot orthosis-related aspects (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The majority of polio survivors used their custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthoses in daily life. Factors related to continued use, such as walking ability without orthosis, expectations of the orthosis, previous orthosis experience and type of knee-ankle-foot orthosis provided, should be considered and discussed when prescribing a knee-ankle-foot orthosis in polio survivors.

• Authors: Bart Raijmakers, Roelofine A Berendsen-de Gooijer, Hilde E Ploeger, Fieke S Koopman, Frans Nollet, Merel-Anne Brehm
• Journal: Journal of rehabilitation medicine (J Rehabil Med) Vol. 54 Pg. jrm00261 (Feb 14 2022) ISSN: 1651-2081 [Electronic] Sweden
• PMID: 34931255 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Ankle
• Biomechanical Phenomena
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Foot Orthoses
• Gait
• Humans
• Poliomyelitis
• Survivors
• Walking