Which immobilization device is used for post polio sequelae?

Which immobilization device is used for post polio sequelae?

• A. Shantz Collar Brace
• B. Frog Cast
• C. Night Splint
• D. Basket Cast

Answer: (C)

In people with post-polio sequelae, keeping the ankle and calf muscles from tightening up over time is important to preserve range of motion and make walking easier. A night splint does exactly this by holding the ankle in a neutral position or slight dorsiflexion while sleeping. This provides a gentle, continuous stretch to the gastrocnemius-soleus complex and the plantarflexors, helping prevent or reduce equinus (tightening of the ankle toward pointing the toes) that can develop from muscle imbalance and inactivity after polio. By keeping the ankle from drifting into contracture during rest, it helps maintain future gait efficiency and reduces the risk of painful stiffness. The other devices serve different purposes. A cervical collar brace protects or stabilizes the neck, a frog cast positions the leg in a specific flexed and abducted stance to immobilize the hip/knee in certain cases, and a basket cast is a full-limb immobilization method. They’re not the standard tools for addressing the common lower-limb contracture concerns seen in post-polio sequelae.

In people with post-polio sequelae, keeping the ankle and calf muscles from tightening up over time is important to preserve range of motion and make walking easier. A night splint does exactly this by holding the ankle in a neutral position or slight dorsiflexion while sleeping. This provides a gentle, continuous stretch to the gastrocnemius-soleus complex and the plantarflexors, helping prevent or reduce equinus (tightening of the ankle toward pointing the toes) that can develop from muscle imbalance and inactivity after polio. By keeping the ankle from drifting into contracture during rest, it helps maintain future gait efficiency and reduces the risk of painful stiffness.

The other devices serve different purposes. A cervical collar brace protects or stabilizes the neck, a frog cast positions the leg in a specific flexed and abducted stance to immobilize the hip/knee in certain cases, and a basket cast is a full-limb immobilization method. They’re not the standard tools for addressing the common lower-limb contracture concerns seen in post-polio sequelae.