title: Modified axillary crutches for an adolescent with bilateral congenital transverse deficiencies of the radius and ulna and no hands.
abstract: This report describes the construction of modified axillary crutches for a patient who had bilateral congenital transverse incomplete deficiencies of the radius and ulna and no hands. Before physical therapy, the patient underwent a left pangeniculate percutaneous epiphysiodesis of the distal femoral and proximal tibial physis, causing him to be temporarily non-weight-bearing on the left lower extremity. The patient lacked both hands; therefore, he was unable to use crutches. Traditional axillary crutches were modified with permanent bilateral casts at the axilla/arm region to facilitate use by the patient. Using the modified axillary crutches, he ambulated independently and climbed and descended stairs with contact guard assist, while maintaining the non-weight-bearing status of the left lower extremity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Clinic, Nashville, TN 37232-5677, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Gocha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001365:Axilla; D003446:Crutches; D004867:Equipment Design; D006228:Hand Deformities, Congenital / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011884:Radius / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014457:Ulna / Q000002:abnormalities*