Alexander M. Miller, CPO, Evergreen Prosthetics & Orthotics, Denver, Colorado The field of orthotics is continually evolving to meet the needs of individuals experiencing upper and lower extremity weakness or deformities. In the post-polio syndrome (PPS) community, lower extremity weakness, often affecting one or both legs, is commonly addressed with orthotic devices such as Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) or Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses …
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Moving Forward: Adapting to the Ottobock C-Brace
Yvonne Collery Both my mother and Linda contracted polio during the 1955 epidemic. Linda and her family lived in the apartment below us, and she and I grew up together. Linda was just 11 weeks old when she contracted polio and was left with paralysis in her right leg. Since learning to walk, she has relied on a rigid KAFO …
Winter
BABY, IT IS COLD OUTSIDE! William G. Stothers Snow and bone-chilling cold are making this a brutal winter across North America. And Phil the groundhog says it will go on for another six weeks. Bad news for people stuck in this kind of weather, especially polio survivors. We know the snow-choked wheelchair wheels, snow-banked sidewalks and curb cuts, melting messes indoors, …
Orthotics
Orthotics is the use of braces and splints (orthoses) to biomechanically assist in supporting and stabilizing parts of the body affected by paralyzed and/or weak muscles (Bunch, 1985). Orthotics, grouped by a description of the area in which they provide support, are usually divided into three categories: lower extremity, upper extremity, and spinal. For example, in lower extremity orthotics, foot …
The Utility of Post-Polio Bracing
Irwin M. Siegel, MD Patients with post-polio weakness can often benefit by using an appropriate brace. Braces can 1) provide support, 2) correct a flexible deformity, or 3) relieve pain. Usually it is best to correct a fixed deformity through stretching or surgery before applying the brace. Post-polio patients require special consideration when it comes to bracing. They usually present …
Brace Yourself!
Along with wheelchairs, nothing conjures up as much anxiety as the idea of having to use new—or long-ago discarded—splints, braces, canes or crutches. Using supportive devices may seem like sending a beacon to the world that we are disabled. After years of functioning without obvious aids, it seems like stepping backwards. I know how difficult these transitions are. I had …
Brace Maintenance and Care Guidelines
Tamara Treanore, CO, ABC Daniel M. Ryan, MD Brace maintenance and care will improve the function, extend the life and improve the comfort of the brace. The following guidelines are provided for your use. Please feel free to ask any questions. I. Plastic braces: Check for discoloration in the plastic on a regular basis. Discoloration indicates that the plastic in those …
Post-Polio Clinics
WHO ESTABLISHES THE POST-POLIO CLINICS IN THE STATES AND HOW ARE THEY ORGANIZED? Joan L. Headley, MS, Executive Director To establish a post-polio clinic, a need has to be perceived for such a clinic. This need may be generated by the medical community, but more likely the catalyst will come from the demands of the post-polio population, in particular, the …
Facing Reality
Grace Young My most shocking revelation was that I really did have a disability. That didn’t happen for almost forty years after I had polio. At age 46 I started working at Kaiser and my supervisor asked me, “Grace, do you consider yourself disabled?” It was the height of affirmative-action consciousness and he needed to identify minority members of his …
Options When a Post-Polio Clinic Is Not an Option
Carol Vandenakker, MD Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation University of California, Davis, Health System Sacramento, California Presented at PHI’s 9th International Conference: Strategies for Living Well (June 2005) A. You must start with a good primary care physician. 1. Keys to finding a good doctor: a. Look for a physician you trust and can communicate with. b. Identify the best hospitals …
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