ORTHOTIC WRITTEN SIMULATION
2026/2027 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS.
When should you lock the knee in a KAFO?
-falls when in quiet standing, sudden, unexpected falls
secondary to muscle weakness
-falls traversing uneven ground - COM moves outside BOS &
patient cannot recover
-persistent knee flexion in stance phase and swing
AND
-near falls (tripping) - poor swing initiation
-over-use of contralateral limb muscles
(if they are accompanied by the above three)
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
proximal, what are the affects?
-band travels distal
-thigh pressure: anterior proximal and posterior distal
-calf pressure: anterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
distal, what are the affects?
-band travels proximal
-thigh pressure: anterior distal and posterior proximal
-calf pressure: posterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
anterior, what are the affects?
,-band travels distal
-thigh pressure: anterior distal and posterior proximal
-calf pressure: anterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
posterior, what are the affects?
-band travels proximal
-thigh pressure: anterior proximal and posterior distal
-calf pressure: posterior proximal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
anterior, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF proximal
-calf band travels w/ PF distal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
posterior, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF distal
-calf band travels w/ PF proximal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
proximal, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF distal
-calf band travels w/ PF distal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
distal, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF proximal
-calf band travels w/ PF proximal
In a double action joint, what does a pin in the anterior
channel create?
DF stop
, In a double action joint, what does a pin in the posterior
channel create?
PF stop
In a double action joint, what does a spring in the anterior
channel create?
dorsiflexion resist/plantarflexion assist
In a double action joint, what does a spring in the posterior
channel create?
plantarflexion resist/dorsiflexion assist
When would you use free anterior and posterior channels?
ML instability, no sagittal plane concerns
When would you use free anterior and pin posterior?
knee hyperextension
When would you use free anterior and spring posterior?
foot drop which could be managed with dorsiflexion assist joints
When would you use pin anterior and spring posterior?
tendency toward sudden knee flexion with dorsiflexion
weakness
When would you use pin anterior and free posterior?
excessive knee flexion/tendency toward buckling
What are the upright clearances for a KAFO?
-skin 3 mm
-ankle: medial 6mm, lateral 5mm
-knee: medial 6mm, lateral 3mm
How do you determine band length for a conventional
KAFO?
2026/2027 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS.
When should you lock the knee in a KAFO?
-falls when in quiet standing, sudden, unexpected falls
secondary to muscle weakness
-falls traversing uneven ground - COM moves outside BOS &
patient cannot recover
-persistent knee flexion in stance phase and swing
AND
-near falls (tripping) - poor swing initiation
-over-use of contralateral limb muscles
(if they are accompanied by the above three)
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
proximal, what are the affects?
-band travels distal
-thigh pressure: anterior proximal and posterior distal
-calf pressure: anterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
distal, what are the affects?
-band travels proximal
-thigh pressure: anterior distal and posterior proximal
-calf pressure: posterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
anterior, what are the affects?
,-band travels distal
-thigh pressure: anterior distal and posterior proximal
-calf pressure: anterior proximal
When the knee joint of a conventional KAFO is misaligned
posterior, what are the affects?
-band travels proximal
-thigh pressure: anterior proximal and posterior distal
-calf pressure: posterior proximal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
anterior, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF proximal
-calf band travels w/ PF distal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
posterior, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF distal
-calf band travels w/ PF proximal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
proximal, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF distal
-calf band travels w/ PF distal
When the ankle joint of a conventional AFO is misaligned
distal, what are the affects?
-calf band travels w/ DF proximal
-calf band travels w/ PF proximal
In a double action joint, what does a pin in the anterior
channel create?
DF stop
, In a double action joint, what does a pin in the posterior
channel create?
PF stop
In a double action joint, what does a spring in the anterior
channel create?
dorsiflexion resist/plantarflexion assist
In a double action joint, what does a spring in the posterior
channel create?
plantarflexion resist/dorsiflexion assist
When would you use free anterior and posterior channels?
ML instability, no sagittal plane concerns
When would you use free anterior and pin posterior?
knee hyperextension
When would you use free anterior and spring posterior?
foot drop which could be managed with dorsiflexion assist joints
When would you use pin anterior and spring posterior?
tendency toward sudden knee flexion with dorsiflexion
weakness
When would you use pin anterior and free posterior?
excessive knee flexion/tendency toward buckling
What are the upright clearances for a KAFO?
-skin 3 mm
-ankle: medial 6mm, lateral 5mm
-knee: medial 6mm, lateral 3mm
How do you determine band length for a conventional
KAFO?
