KAFO
Pronunciation: K-A-F-O
Also written as: KAFO — Knee–Ankle–Foot Orthosis
Knee–Ankle–Foot Orthosis; an external brace extending from the thigh to the foot, used when knee stability cannot be maintained by an AFO alone.
Full Definition
A Knee–Ankle–Foot Orthosis (KAFO) is a long-leg orthotic device that controls the knee, ankle, and foot, typically prescribed for patients with significant lower-limb weakness or paralysis. Editors will encounter this term in spinal cord injury, post-polio, and muscular dystrophy rehabilitation literature. Like AFO, the full form requires en dashes and should be expanded on first use. KAFO and AFO are frequently listed together in functional assessments, and editors must take care not to conflate them. The device may be described as locked, free, or stance-control, and these modifiers should be retained accurately.
Usage
Usage note: Use en dashes in the full form. Do not confuse with AFO, which does not extend to the knee.
In Context
- "Following incomplete spinal cord injury, the patient was fitted with bilateral KAFOs to facilitate standing practice." — Spinal cord injury rehabilitation report
- "The manuscript incorrectly abbreviated Knee–Ankle–Foot Orthosis as 'KAOFS'; this was corrected to 'KAFOs' throughout." — Copy-editing audit log