Short knee–ankle–foot orthosis use led to independence in locomotion and toileting in a chronic stroke patient: A case report（大腿近位カフをカットダウンした長下肢装具の使用が歩行およびトイレ動作の自立に繋がった脳卒中片麻痺例）

抄録

This study reports a case of a paraplegic stroke patient who had difficulty walking with an ankle–foot orthosis, but was able to walk independently with a short knee–ankle–foot orthosis (semi-KAFO). A 34-year-old man presented with right hemiplegia due to left putaminal hemorrhage. At 143 days after the stroke onset, he could not obtain sufficient support for the paralyzed leg and required assistance during his walk with an ankle–foot orthosis because the knee joint of the paralyzed side was always flexed due to knee flexor hypertonia. Conversely, he was able to walk with a semi-KAFO under observation. He practiced putting on and taking off the semi-KAFO, standing, sitting, walking, and toileting with a semi-KAFO for three weeks. At 164 days after stroke onset, he was able to walk and toilet independently with a semi-KAFO. This study’s results indicate that a semi-KAFO is useful as a daily living orthosis for hemiplegic stroke patients who have difficulty walking with an ankle–foot orthosis due to increased knee joint flexor muscle tone.