Hip-abduction, knee-extension orthosis.

T he Hip-Abduction, KneeExtension Orthosis (HA, KE) is designed to aid in preventing or correcting deformities in spastic hip abductor and hamstring muscles when stretching and exercise do not suffice. Spasticity in this group of muscles is not uncommon in paraplegia or in other selected diseases of the central nervous system-for example, in multiple sclerosis. The orthosis consists of bila teral knee extension splints separated by three dowels progressing in length distally (Figures I and 2). The major objecti ve in the design of this orthosis, unlike commercially available splints that stretch only the hip abductor muscles, is to stretch both the hip abductor and knee flexor muscles. :\Iuscle relaxation can result from the acti vity of the golgi tendon organ, which resides in the tendon of the m LI cleo Physiologist Guyton states, "When tension on a muscle and there(ore on the tendon becomes extreme, the inhibitory effect of the golgi tendon organ can be so great that it causes sudden relaxation of the entire muscle." (l, p 165) Another objective for the orthosis is to provide a device that can be mana ed independelllly by the patient. The relative compactness and lightness of the orthosis make this possible.