Bobath axillary support for adults with hemiplegia. A biomechanical analysis

The purpose of this article is to report on a simple biomechanical analysis of the effects of an axillary support on shoulder subluxation. The underlying postulate was that an axillary support always is accompanied by an increase in shoulder abduction. The immediate effect of axillary support, as confirmed by roentgenograms, was a partial reduction of inferior subluxation and a decrease in the magnitude of the vertical component of the internal resultant force on the shoulder. After the axillary support was applied, the total force acting on the shoulder tissues increased with the abduction angle. The results of this study indicate that the axillary roll size and position and the stabilizing strap tension should be adjusted to the patient's specific problem or problems. This article provides a simple method to estimate, in a given patient, the magnitude and the direction of the forces involved in axillary support.