AFO design

[Guest guest]

Dawn,

On my AFOs the front part helps me by allowing me to lean into the

braces for support. Before I started using them, I was constantly

shifting my weight to keep my balance. I had very poor posture, and

standing for even short amounts of time fatigued me. I really notice

the difference when I need to stand in lines, like at the post office

or bank.

Recently I went on two field trips for a biology class. On one trip, I wore my

braces and walked all around a botanical garden- probably several miles of

walking on uneven terrain- without getting too tired. On the other trip, I made

the mistake of not wearing my braces. I thought, since it was at an indoor

aquarium that was small

and mostly flat, I would be fine with my tennis shoes.

I found that I needed to sit down and stop often, and after an hour I was tired

and my feet were hurting. My calves were really sore for days after too. Now I

plan on wearing my braces more often. I already wear them at work and I notice

that even when I'm tired I can still walk and stand well. My only experience is

with this design of AFO, but my orthotist said that was a major benefit in my

case.