What Does A Halo Brace Look like?
The halo brace is made up of: 1. A metal ring that circles your head without touching your skull. 2. Pins that go through the metal ring and are sc...
Do's and Do Nots of Having A Halo Brace
1. Do lie flat if the vest needs to be opened for any reason. 2. Do close and secure the vest after opening it in front before turning over to open...
How Do I Care For My Halo Brace?
Taking care of your halo brace includes cleaning and checking the pin sites, and the skin under the vest. It also includes checking the pin and bol...
Where Can I Go For Support?
1. Having a spinal cord injury is life changing for you and your family. Accepting that you have a spinal cord injury is hard. You and those close...
Why do you need a Halo brace?
Staying in bed may cause many pressure sores, blood clots, and other health problems. The halo brace lets you get out of bed and start moving sooner after your injury.
How do I care for my halo brace?
Taking care of your halo brace includes cleaning and checking the pin sites, and the skin under the vest. It also includes checking the pin and bolt adjustments.
How to help someone with spinal cord injury?
Talk to your caregivers, family, or friends about your feelings. Let them help you. Your caregiver can help your family better understand how to support a person with a spinal cord injury. You may want to join a support group. This is a group of people who also have spinal cord injuries. Ask your caregiver for the names and numbers ...
Why do you need a Halo brace?
Those with severe higher level cervical spinal cord injuries (C4 and up) may need to wear a halo brace to help stabilize their head and neck. The average head weighs about 10 pounds. A paralyzed neck will not be able to support weight, so a halo brace will help provide maximum support and stability while the spinal column heals.
What is an AFO for spinal cord?
Regardless of if you have a cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spinal cord injury, a lower-limb orthosis may be useful. An ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) is beneficial for spinal cord injury patients who have ankle weakness. It provides stability and support to prevent foot drop when you are walking.
How Long Do Spinal Cord Injury Patients Need to Wear Orthotics?
Typically, a spinal cord injury patient may wear a spine stabilizing brace for up to 6 months until the spine heals. Your doctor will determine when it is appropriate and safe to gradually decrease the time spent wearing the orthosis.
Why do you wear a brace after a spinal cord injury?
After a spinal cord injury, your doctor may fit you with a brace to promote proper posture and prevent further injury. This article will explain the benefits of wearing an orthosis for spinal cord injury recovery as well as educate you about the various types of orthoses.
What is a cervical thoracic orthosis?
Spinal Brace. A cervical-thoracic orthosis (CTO) stabilizes the neck and upper back. A thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis (TLSO) surrounds your entire trunk. Lastly, a lumbar-sacral orthosis (LSO) stabilizes the lower half of the trunk.
How to prevent spinal column damage?
restrict spinal column movements to prevent further damage and promote healing. correct misalignments and stabilize the spinal column. combat spasticity and gently stretch tight muscles. promote proper posture. reduce weight-bearing and pain at the joints.
What is the function of orthosis?
The first function is to stabilize the spinal column to promote healing at the injury site and the second function is to support the affected body parts for functional rehabilitation. As a result, wearing an orthosis can help spinal cord injury patients:
Why do we need a Halo?
At times a halo is needed to stabilize the cervical spine after surgery. The role of the halo is to hold the spine immobile until the fusion matures. Fixation of the halo to a patient's head relies on a series of four titanium "pins" which are equally spaced around the ring.
What is a halo bra?
A halo, also known as a "halo ring" or "halo crown," is a piece of equipment that encircles and is fixed to the head of a patient. This device is crucial for the management of a variety of conditions that destabilize the cervical spine. Halo traction brace. Used by permission.
What are the advantages of a Halo Vest?
The advantages of the halo vest include precise positional control and solid external stabilization of the cervical spine, ease of application, a low complication rate, minimal patient discomfort, and early patient mobilization . The halo vest has been shown to be extremely effective at preventing further neurological injury for patients who have sustained cervical spinal injuries. Studies have demonstrated excellent rates of healing after three months of halo vest use; however, in some cases there may be persistent instability from bony or ligamentous damage to the cervical spine and surgery could be necessary to ensure proper stabilization.
How long does it take for a Halo vest to heal?
Studies have demonstrated excellent rates of healing after three months of halo vest use; however, in some cases there may be persistent instability from bony or ligamentous damage to the cervical spine and surgery could be necessary to ensure proper stabilization.
How long should you wear a Halo Vest?
Accepted conservative management of cervical spine instability requires the use of a halo vest for a period of three months. Studies have shown that only a small minority of patients (~2%) find this three-month period to be too long and will not tolerate the halo vest. During these three months, the physician will want to see ...
Why does my head feel heavy after wearing a Halo vest?
After the vest is removed, some patients feel that their heads are heavy or wobbly due to weakening of neck muscles , which have not been used for some time. This resolves over the next few weeks.
When was the Halo Vest invented?
In the late 1950s , the concept of the "halo vest" was first described. This technique is based on the attachment of the halo to a device worn around the patient's torso, rather than equipment attached to a hospital bed, to provide the needed force to immobilize the cervical spine.
What is spinal cord injury?
A spinal cord injury — damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal (cauda equina) — often causes permanent changes in strength, sensation and other body functions below the site of the injury.
What is the term for a spinal cord injury that is completely lost?
Complete. If all feeling (sensory) and all ability to control movement (motor function) are lost below the spinal cord injury, your injury is called complete .
What are the two types of transmissions that the spinal cord and the brain carry?
Tracts in your spinal cord carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body. Motor tracts carry signals from your brain to control muscle movement. Sensory tracts carry signals from body parts to your brain relating to heat, cold, pressure, pain and the position of your limbs.
What causes nontraumatic spinal cord injury?
A nontraumatic spinal cord injury can be caused by arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections or disk degeneration of the spine.
What percentage of spinal cord injuries are caused by violent encounters?
Acts of violence. About 12% of spinal cord injuries result from violent encounters, usually from gunshot wounds. Knife wounds also are common.
What is the lowest part of the spinal cord?
The lowest normal part of your spinal cord is referred to as the neurological level of your injury.
What causes a stinging sensation in the spinal cord?
Loss of bowel or bladder control. Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms. Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity and fertility. Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in your spinal cord.
