Showing posts with label flexion deformity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flexion deformity. Show all posts

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Calf augmentation using free TRAM flap. [Microsurgery. 1999] - PubMed Result

Calf augmentation using free TRAM flap. [Microsurgery. 1999] - PubMed Result

Look at the results of this article:

From Calf_Augmentation


This picture was taken one year post surgery on this 27 year old Korean from Stanford CA who is a post polio patient who had atrophy of the posterior compartment musculature of her
left calf with a foot drop . The authors of the article assert the results were excellent.

Which just prompts the Chico Marx quote:"Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?"

Based on this picture I draw a rather negative conclusion on the outcome and sees it as exemplifying the sometimes clueless physicians whose sense of their own importance tend to lead them force their own theory against recalcitrant facts.

As many of the testimonies (See for example Eileen Gruba) I share in this site and the books reviewed show, there are many of them in the post polio treatment business. I see this as further evidence.

I have the same condition, perhaps a more severe one, since I did not had any of the corrective surgeries this female had as a child.

Rather than doing cosmetic surgery as she did, starting in 2006, I had muscle transfer surgeries to strenghten my Achille's tendon. Then the tibia was lengthened to equalize both lower legs, which helped correct the foot drop.

Now I am doing calf strengthening physical therapy to steadily grow the calf muscle. I feel more confident that over time I will get better and more natural results that give intrinsic strength to my leg and body, including and beyond the cosmetic appearance.

Slide the whole article:

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

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