Dec K L, Vasquez B R
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical College of Virginia/Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, Richmond 23249.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1993 Apr;74(4):441-4.
The Vannini-Rizzoli boot is a stabilizing orthosis that allows selected spinal cord injured patients to stand and ambulate. The body positioning required to maintain stability while using these boots can result in an exaggerated "military position" of the shoulders, as the patient braces his shoulders posteriorly to maintain his center of gravity anterior to the ankle axis. This posture produced thoracic outlet compression in this patient. This case emphasizes the need to be aware of this clinical complex when working with this orthosis and suggests the importance of the patient's functional needs in treatment decisions.
