Different KAFO Designs

There are several different models of Blount's KAFO, but the general structure of each brace is the same -- there are five main components: a thigh/femoral cuff, a calf/tibial shell, a foot piece, one or two metal bars connecting the thigh cuff and the calf shell, and a few straps that secure the brace on the leg. The goal of every KAFO designed for Blount's disease is also the same, which is to exert corrective forces on the misaligned bones through several points of pressure and to guide the normal growth of tibia.

Model 1:

This double upright (two metal bars) brace has a quadrilateral brim-style thigh cuff, and its calf part has a posterior opening with a partial pretibial shell. There are two metal bars connecting the thigh cuff and the calf shell.

click on this link for more info on model 1.

Model 2:


This model is different from model 1 in that its thigh cuff has an anterior opening and is held in place by two straps. The calf piece is open in the front as well, and it looks like the calf and the foot are one piece. Note also that the upper and lower parts of this KAFO have irregularly curved edges (the thigh piece is longer on the medial side and the calf piece is longer on the lateral side).Two metal bars join the upper and lower parts of this brace. This is an example of the double upright M-L anterior opening KAFO.

Model 3:



This model looks a lot simpler and lighter than the previous two models. The main differences are that there is only one metal bar connecting the thigh cuff and the calf shell and there are only two straps.


more pictures of model 3...

Click on this link for more info on model 3.

This picture highlights the difference between single-upright and double-upright KAFOs. 

This picture shows different designs of the thigh shell. (a) is an anterior opening KAFO with a pretibial shell. (b) is a KAFO with a quadrilateral brim style. (c) is a narrow M-L brim style KAFO. Research shows that it's easier to put on the KAFO in (a) than those in (b) and (c).