title: One-year follow-up study of serial orthotic treatment in two cases with arthrogrypotic syndromes who have bilateral knee flexion contractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effectiveness of serial splinting in two children with bilateral knee flexion contractures due to arthrogrypotic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the infants' passive knee extension limitation and motor development levels. Serial orthotic treatment was applied to decrease bilateral knee flexion contractures in the knees of the subjects. The follow-up period was up to 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of serial orthotic treatment, improvement in bilateral passive extension limitation (for the first case, the increase in passive range of extension was approximately 75°, for the second case it was 45°) was achieved in both cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that serial orthotic intervention is effective in patients with arthrogrypotic syndrome at the preoperative period or in patients who cannot be operated on. Further studies are needed for evaluation of effectiveness of this method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of serial orthotic treatment in knee contractures due to arthrogrypotic syndrome in two infants which showed an improvement in range of extension.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey gosdegr@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gozde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gür
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erel
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yakut
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemalettin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uygur
mesh_terms: D001176:Arthrogryposis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003286:Contracture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013165:Splints; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Arthrogrypotic syndromes; knee flexion contractures; serial orthotic treatment