[jay_d]

this may not be the place for this or there may be a better forum area for this but i wonder if anyone had a pair of KAFO they are nolonger using. my PT says we should try to learn to use a pair to lock my knees in place so maybe i can regain a little independance in the house by using them to stand in front of the counter to get in the high cabinets. my personal goal is to be as independent as possible which includes getting my own cups from the cupboard or plate what ever then returning to w/c to move thru out the house. she seems to think i could do this . prior to the accident i was hyper sensitive to legs and feet, i mean if u looked at them they ran and hid. now i know someone is touching but thats it. i was unable to tell if she used a pin or finger during the test. bummer. thanx Jay

[kewlcatkez]

jay_d, on Mar 3 2008, 05:34 AM, said:

this may not be the place for this or there may be a better forum area for this but i wonder if anyone had a pair of KAFO they are nolonger using. my PT says we should try to learn to use a pair to lock my knees in place so maybe i can regain a little independance in the house by using them to stand in front of the counter to get in the high cabinets. my personal goal is to be as independent as possible which includes getting my own cups from the cupboard or plate what ever then returning to w/c to move thru out the house. she seems to think i could do this . prior to the accident i was hyper sensitive to legs and feet, i mean if u looked at them they ran and hid. now i know someone is touching but thats it. i was unable to tell if she used a pin or finger during the test. bummer. thanx Jay

Hi again Jay_d,

I think that you will find that KAFOs usually need to be made to measure (moulded) to be particularly effective for the reason you need them for, although of course some advantage may be gleaned from of the shelf ones.. Just need to be aware that as all of us have anatomical differences, the chances of skin pressure at bony prominences is high when they are not made for you,

What does your PT say about them? If she is saying they will be useful, perhaps she should submit a repot so that they can be obtained made to measure on your insurance (if you are in the USA) or the NHS..in the UK

Hope this helps,
Tale care,

K

[LuckyinKentucky]

The problem with the whole wearin em to just stand for a casual occurance like gettin cups is that for the other 15 hrs of the day your luggin around 15+ lbs of equippment on the front of your chairs balance point...along with the whole you'd likely get some kind of scrapes/pressure sores on your legs. ...oh and dont forget about the loss of flexibility and the just plain wearin bulky braces all the time. I have similar personal goals as you, but i have chosen to achieve them differently.

Now this is taking as an assumption the difficulty included in using the kafo's <<i have a pair myself>> i may be assuming too much tho as i see you are a lumbar and I a T12.. but for me using them is a kinda precarious venture... although i can walk with parallels and all that.. home use just doesn't seem practical for me. For the cupboards in use the heavily used stuff on the bottom and bigger less used stuff in the one's i cant reach well... you can either use the tip & catch method or just keep a reacher strategically hidden in a lower cupboard.

[jay_d]

thanx for the reply, one of the things we are thinking is that the ones i have used at PT velcro and buckle with adjustable height on both sides of the knees. so therefore i can put them on for use then remove them after use. of course i would consolidate my uses and get multiple items at one time. thats what we are thinking thats why we were not to sure about getting them molded for me and more looking for a universal fit ones. dont know was just a thought, one of the things is i live in a small town and i am the worst case they have seen. so it is all trial and error and this is y i am asking so many ?'s

Thanx jay

[LuckyinKentucky]

I live in a small town as well. I know the type of kafo's your talkin about, sounds like the ones i used in therapy before i got some made. "of course i would consolidate my uses and get multiple items at one time." sounds good in theory but if your anything like me when standing at least one hand is being used to hold yourself stable (if yer strong) and then you get limited reach cause you have to stay in the balance zone. But if you seriously want to try to get some use out of them you can build a standing frame to strap into while your watching tv or reading or whatever. I'm sure i don't have to tell you how just standing up is kinda a cool feeling. But as far as what your pt needs to say to your insurance is that they stem the development of osteoporosis in your legs, help maintain an active digestive cycle, and (my personal fav) have a positive psycological effect on the patient.... Really copy that down and pass it onto your pt.. have them write you a script for the kafo's and get a set made. as long as you have a script with valid medical cause your insurance shouldn't deny. you may have to pay a bit ( I think i paid 100$) but insurance should cover most... find out your coverage before you have them made, there's no point in you using some old one size fits all braces.

[Horseman]

jay_d, on Mar 3 2008, 05:34 AM, said:

this may not be the place for this or there may be a better forum area for this but i wonder if anyone had a pair of KAFO they are nolonger using. my PT says we should try to learn to use a pair to lock my knees in place so maybe i can regain a little independance in the house by using them to stand in front of the counter to get in the high cabinets. my personal goal is to be as independent as possible which includes getting my own cups from the cupboard or plate what ever then returning to w/c to move thru out the house. she seems to think i could do this . prior to the accident i was hyper sensitive to legs and feet, i mean if u looked at them they ran and hid. now i know someone is touching but thats it. i was unable to tell if she used a pin or finger during the test. bummer. thanx Jay

jay d



When I brought my wife home from the hospital her pt said she should try to stand with braces around the house. We tried to use them but all her energy was used up trying to keep her balance. We were able to get a " Life Stand " manual chair for her through the DVR [ dept. of vocational rehab ] This type of chair will lock your knees in safely and raise you up to a standing position. My wife can get to the upper cabinets and to the sink to wash dishes. I think if you google Life Stand wheel chair You should be able to find them. I hope this helps

Horseman

[logansmom]

Hi Jay,
My son who is 7 was just recently fitted for KAFO's. His injury level is T3. We were introduced to these at the Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. The PT said they had never seen a child go from the parrallel bars to the walker in the same day before. I feel like if you have the determination you can do anything. Logan loved being in them and can not wait til his get here. But yes, you do need to be fitted for your own. We were told that Logan at his age will go thru his pretty fast because he is still growing, but that insurance companies don't apply the same rule to the braces as they would/do to wheelchairs. So, get a RX from your PT for the KAFO's, find a DME supplier and get measured for your own, and enjoy!!

Kristy

[jay_d]

everyone:

wow you guys and gals are great, i have done and gone to a CPO with a script and am going to be measured this week. cant wait! we have been using them for a week now and i do get a little tired after a while but i am doind exercises to increase my stamina. thanx all

Jay