A simple treatment of genu recurvatum in ataxic and athetoid cerebral palsy.

An inexpensive, simple treatment for ataxic- or athetoid-related genu recurvatum is presented with analysis of the relevant gait mechanics. An exaggerated posterior heel flair is used in combination with a functionally dorsiflexed, below-knee orthosis to overcome terminal swing phase recurvatum at heel strike, and to provide an effective forward knee thrust through the solid ankle link. This combination is very effective in some patients, even when more extensive treatments have failed. It is easily reversible. Computerized gait analysis, used in this report for illustration, is not essential for implementation, nor for patient selection. However, video examinations are useful for adjustment of the treatment geometry.