I've also had some experience with halos and Litegait harnesses. It is tricky but doable. Just make sure the groin piece is nice and tight to minimize upward drift of the harness. This can put traction on the halo and could be dangerous for the position of the neck. Also make sure the yoke is up high enough so the halo isn't banging around in there or getting hung up on the buckles. If there's any question of whether you're changing the forces or alignment of the halo and/or jacket stop what you're doing and reassess the situation. I'm not sure about this but you might check with the orthotist who did the halo and see if groin straps could be fashioned for the halo jacket itself--don't know if this would interfere with the harness though. When in doubt discuss this with the physician.
When you put the harness on over a halo, it is necessary to add girth to the patient's abdomen using foam or towels. When you put the harness on over so much extra "bulk", it increases the distance of the straps from the patient's body, making it easier for them to clear the halo hardware above. I am not sure why your patient was leaning back or c/o neck pain. Anytime a patient is leaning backward in LiteGait, I would consider whether I have my front straps too short (or back straps too long). I would also make sure the patient's feet are directly underneath the shoulders.
My patient with incomplete SCI is still in a halo. When we apply the harness she leans backward and has neck pain. It's difficult to get the harness straps secure around the halo. Any contraindications to using the harness with a halo? Has anyone done this successfully?
