ORTHOTICS

AFOs are used as a treatment of several clinical applications like:

• Arthritis
• Tendonitis of the ankle or heel
• Chronic ankle instability
• Neuromuscular problems (post stroke etc.)
• Severe pain in the ankle or heel
• Collapse of the ankle or foot
• Arch pain etc. 

The conditions for which an AFO is recommended are often such that the patient finds it difficult to walk without them. You must take the advice of your medical team as to how you should wear the ankle-foot orthoses and for how long.

Foot drop may occur due to many different causes that may include a disease, injury, or toxic buildup. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, etc. may cause a foot drop.

The foot brace is designed to keep the dropped foot off the ground while walking in patients with functional use of their muscles, creating a more even and normal gait. A foot drop brace allows people with foot drop issues to walk normally and lead an active lifestyle.

An Ankle-Foot orthosis is a custom-made foot brace used to support muscles, immobilize joints, and/or correct the position of your foot and ankle in case of a strain or injury. It may be made of metal, thermoplastic, or a combination of materials.

A spinal orthotic device (orthosis) is an external apparatus that is applied to the body to limit the motion of, correct deformity in, reduce axial loading on, or improve the function of a particular spinal segment of the body.  This includes the area from the lower spine to the cervical (neck) area.  They are used to stabilize the spine after surgery and healing fractured vertebrae.

TSLO stands for thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis.  They are used to treat scoliosis, custom molded and padded to keep the scoliosis curve from getting worse.  This brace is also called a “Boston Brace”.

CTLSO stands for cervical-thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis.  It can be custom molded and fitted to support a weak or damaged area of the spine as well as treat scoliosis. This is also called a “Milwaukee Brace.”

LSO stands for Lumbar-Sacral orthosis, restricting movement and reducing stress on the spine.

A Charleston brace is a nighttime brace, worn while sleeping.  This type of brace is also called a “nighttime” brace because it is only worn while sleeping.

The symptoms of poor foot mechanics can include any one of the following:

• Localized foot pain
• Bunions, hammer toes
• Arch/heel pain
• Leg/knee pain
• Hip or back pain – even neck pain

Since the custom orthotic works to realign the structure of your foot you may feel pressure in some areas as the custom orthotic attempts to do its job. For this reason custom orthotics should be worn in two hour intervals and slowly extend the wear time over a period of two weeks.

Any shoe that has a removable insole will work with your custom orthotic. Just remove the insole that came with the shoe and replace it with the custom orthotic.