Re: solid AFOs

[Guest guest]

Jimmy,

My 3 year old wears the hinged AFOs and also has bilateral hererextension of his

knees. After putting off placing him in AFO's we felt his knees would

deteriorate over time if we did not interviene with AFOs. I was told the hinged

form was indicated because of the hyperextension. Even while wearing AFOs he

hyperexteded a little, the physical medicine rehab doctor recommended placing a

small bumper between the hinge to place him at a 5 degree angle. This has

helped. He too has very week quadracept muscles (proximal muscle weakness) and

also has gait instability. As Gretchen said follow the advice of your

orthotist.

M.E. Siska

[Guest guest]

Hello Jimmy,

As you know I have AFOs with hinges. To me it just makes sense

to have them that way. It replicates the way your ankles work. Mine have things

built into them, both metal ones and plastic, for foot drop. I just beleive that

you would be able to get around easier with AFOs with hinges.

With fixed ones it is like you are walking around with casts on your feet. With

hinges you are walking around in a more normal way. My orthotist believes this

too. He tries to get most of his patients in hinged ones if it is at all

possible.

As active as you are I bet you would like the hinged ones much better. One of

the other posters has reccomended the Helios AFOs. Those seem very similar to

the hinged ones just a different way of giving you some movement in your ankles.

My orthotist knows them and thinks they are just another form of hinging your

ankles. Hope this helps.

Bob

[Guest guest]

Jimmy,

Are your gait problems due to footdrop or are your ankles compromised?

I have a single solid AFO that sits on the anterior leg and supports

both footdrop and ankle weakness. I have about 5 degrees of flexion in

the ankle which makes it extremely comfortable and helps my balance.

--Larry

[Guest guest]

Hey Larry and all,

My CMT affects both of my legs....I went back to the orthotist Monday and he cut

the trimline on the sides of the AFO way back posterior to the ankle....this

made a whopping difference....much easier to walk in....they were way too stiff

for my body to handle....I guess it's a fine line between stiff enough for

improved balance and flexible enough to still be easy enough to walk in...and

think they are a million times better now.

Thanks to all who answered my post,

Jimmy