Re: metal braces/AFOs

[Guest guest]

Bob,

Why do you keep saying you have to build up callouses to wear the light

weight plastic leg braces? You ARE so WRONG on that!! My daughter and late son

wear

and wore them without any problems. And like I stated earlier I've been

wearing them for over 20 yrs. without a problem. What you're saying will miss

lead

alot of other people.

Barb fl

[Guest guest]

I have never had a callous. Someone didn't make them correctly or something.

[Guest guest]

Cockerham wrote, " Regardless of what some have said on this site you

do have to build up callouses to be able to wear your plastic braces, maybe

you don't think you have but you should have rougher skin were the brace

rubs your skin. " I'm just wondering why 's " experience " is the right

one?

My experience was different than his, and so was Barb's. There is no

such thing as a right or wrong experience! I said it once, and I'll say it

again adamantly, that I did NOT have to get used to my plastic AFOs. I had

no callouses whatsoever, and they were comfortable from the beginning due to

having soft insoles glued in. My braces don't rub my skin. I think we need

to share with each other, not be combative. Let the people in this group

make their own informed decisions. No one should be trying to steer them

away from plastic AFOs based on opinion/experience. I would never try to

tell anyone not to wear metal braces if they really wanted to give them a

try.

K.

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MODERATOR'S REMINDER to ALL: We are here to share our personal experience

with our CMT. There is no place here for " right " or " wrong " . But there IS

ALOT of space here to share how CMT affects you, how you manage symptoms,

what is going on in your life CMT-wise, ad infinitum. This group has been

here consistently for five years and many, many people of all ages and stages

have benefitted from what is found here. Please remember to respect your

own experience and simply state " In my experience... " Thank you. ~ Gretchen

[Guest guest]

I agree that people should not have blisters and calluses with plastic AFOs. I

have

worn many of them now for the past 29 years and the only time that I had any

trouble

with them rubbing was when they needed to be adjusted. They should not hurt

your

feet and if they do, they need to be fitted properly. I used to work in

corporate retail

management on my feet for 9 hours a day and still did not have blisters. It's

important to keep your feet dry though and I always have worn a pair of socks

inside

the braces and another pair outside of them. It makes them more comfortable and

helps keep me warmer in the winter.

[Guest guest]

I do use AFOs. I can't walk for an hour or two without at least

stumbling and sometimes falling if I don't use them. Mine are the

old-fashion metal and leather braces. My burning sensations are a

lot worse when my skin can't breath. Plus the humidity in the summer

here in Arkansas is a killer, so the orthotocist actually recommended

the metal braces.

I'm not real concerned about appearance. I guess the whole function

over form is a hang over from my time in the Marines. The only time

that it bugs me is when I have to deal with the little, little kids

at school. They always want to touch them and try to run their hands

up my pants leg. Oh, the joys of kindergarten.