Contractures, Hamstring Contractures and the Paralytic Polio Sequelae Patient

Contractures in general and hamstring contractures in particular are a common condition to post polio paralytic sequelae survivors.

For example, hamstring contractures often occur because nerves paralysis often destroys the quadriceps muscles, eliminating the force that normally stretch and counterbalance the hamstring forcing it to lengthen. Over time, the hamstring fails to keep up with growth of the femur causing increased flexion deformity of the knee as time goes by.

The treatment for this condition vary from physical therapy, braces up to surgery depending on the severity of the contractures. In general the least severe forms can be remedied with:

• Physical therapy, some times in conjuction with braces.

• When this is insufficient, surgery is the recommended alternative. Cerebral palsy surgeons usually have a lot of experience with this type of surgery

Below are some of the readings that have helped and informed my understanding and expand on the above.

Recommended Reading:

http://www.worldortho.com/dev/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=529&Itemid=290

http://www.mda.org/publications/quest/q34contrc.html

http://www.lifebridgehealth.org/body_rubin.cfm?id=1514

http://www.holisticonline.com/Remedies/Arthritis/arth_ankle-and-feet-exercises.htm

http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/full/88/4/840

http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/dtc/primsurg/index.html

http://www.physicaltherapyjournal.org/cgi/reprint/69/8/695.pdf

http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/Passive%20Stretching%20Final1Dec05.pdf

This article seems to indicate that passive stretching is a poor method to fight the sort of contractures referred to herein