Fitting & Adjustment Techniques Flashcards

During static alignment of a KAFO, the knee joint axis should be set:

Answer: At the level of the medial femoral epicondyle

The medial femoral epicondyle is the standard anatomical landmark for aligning the KAFO knee joint to match the anatomical axis.

A patient fitted with a pneumatic walking boot for an ankle fracture reports increased pain at the anterior ankle after activity. The fitter should:

Answer: Deflate the air bladder slightly and recheck fit

Over-inflation of the anterior air bladder can cause focal pressure over the anterior ankle; deflating slightly redistributes pressure.

The primary function of a lateral wedge in a foot orthosis is to:

Answer: Reduce medial compartment knee loading in genu varum

A lateral heel-to-forefoot wedge shifts the center of pressure laterally, reducing the adduction moment at the knee in varus alignment.

When fitting a spinal orthosis post-operatively, the fitter must communicate to the nursing team that donning should always occur:

Answer: With the patient in the supine position before rising

Donning a spinal orthosis in the supine position maintains spinal alignment and avoids unsupported loading during the critical post-surgical period.

An athlete fitted with a functional knee orthosis reports the device migrates distally during sprinting. The appropriate adjustment is:

Answer: Add a neoprene proximal anchor sleeve or suspension strap

A proximal anchor sleeve or suspension strap prevents distal migration by anchoring the orthosis to the thigh during high-activity use.

When performing a skin check after initial AFO fitting, redness that blanches with pressure and resolves within 20 minutes is classified as:

Answer: Normal reactive hyperemia from initial loading

Transient reactive hyperemia that resolves within 20 minutes after device removal is an expected vascular response to initial orthosis contact.

A patient with a custom-molded insole develops a medial arch blister after two weeks. The fitter should:

Answer: Grind relief in the medial arch area of the orthosis

Grinding a relief in the orthosis at the blister location directly reduces the focal pressure causing the skin lesion.