Which KAFO feature locks the knee in extension but allows the patient to unlock to the knee?

• A. Drop Ring Lock
• B. Pawl Lock with Bail Release
• C. Swedish Knee Cage
• D. Oregon Orthotic System

Answer: (B)

A knee lock that holds the knee in full extension while still letting the wearer unlock and bend the knee uses a pawl mechanism with a bail release. The pawl engages a notch in the knee joint to keep it straight, giving secure extension for standing and walking. When the person wants to move into knee flexion, they operate the bail release—the small lever or handle attached to the orthosis—which disengages the pawl and frees the knee to bend. This setup provides reliable, stable extension with an accessible, independent way to unlock for motion.

Other locking options involve different release methods or configurations that aren’t as directly focused on a simple, patient-initiated unlock action, making the pawl lock with bail release the best fit for this function.