Kids with weakness in the muscle groups that control the knee position will often crouch when muscle strength is insufficient to maintain an upright posture and stand tall. For children with chronic high tone contractures of hamstrings, the knees
are pulled into a flexed position, resulting in a crouched posture. This is most apparent with excessive knee flexion during weight-bearing. It can vary from mild and inconsistent to very pronounced and constant. Crouching can come from both high tone AND low tone.
When strength and/or control of the plantarflexors and quadriceps are inadequate, the child cannot support or maintain a normal upright stance posture. High tone contractures of the hamstrings can constrict stance to crouched posture – associated strong plantarflexion may result in “rocker-bottom” foot. These kids may also have a pronated or supinated foot.
Depending on the level of involvement, there are many brace options. Keep in mind that these are dynamic braces, thus allowing the child flexibility while properly positioning and supporting the legs to allow for optimum ambulation.
Courtesy of Cascade DAFO
