Re: Custom Composite brace

[Guest guest]

Hello Isacks,

I was wondering which brace you ordered from Custom Composite?? I went to their

website and they offer many different kinds and I was wondering which one

offered you the stability and energy you referred to?

Betty

[Guest guest]

Hi Betty,

I did not order directly from Custom Composite. I ordered the braces from an

Orthotist that works with and orders from Custom Composite. I ordered from

Sardo, a CPO at Valley Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics in Newhall,

California (phone 661-253-1191). There are two other Orthotics Offices in

California that work with Custom Composite. I think one is in Bakersfield,

California. Custom Composite has a toll free number (866-273-2230). You can

call them to find out other Orthotists they work with. My braces were a custom

made combination of four different parts. They cost little more than plastic

AFOs and my Kaiser Permanente Insurance paid for the whole thing.

I am very happy with them. I took a two block walk last night with NO CANE. I

usually use two forearm crutches for walks. That is the first time I have left

my house without a cane or crutch. I got my braces Monday. This is the fifth

day I have used them.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Lyn!

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of your braces? Thanks!

JoAnn N.

Newfoundland, Canada (originally from NJ)

[Guest guest]

Hi JoAnn,

This is a picture of one of the carbon fiber braces that were custom made for me

http://www.cc-mfg.com/afoLS.html By the way, I am originally from NJ also. I

left Cherry Hill NJ for California in 1973. My husband and I are planning a

trip to Canada next fall.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

Lynn, can I please ask you, do you have weak quads?

Laine

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I just recently joined the group. I went to this link, and looked at this

brace. I actually received this a year ago. I have CMT type 1. My feet land

on the outside border.

My orthotist checked with the company who makes this brace about how my feet

roll outward. They claimed that it would solve the problem. Unfortunately,

when I was fit with this, my feet still rolled outwardly, and I could not walk

in these braces...was not a good experience for me.

Shelia

[Guest guest]

Laine,

My quads are not that weak yet (they are what I use to drive with), but my

calves are like mush or jello. I do exercise for a half hour everyday. It is

extremely difficult these days but I believe it is what keeps me vertical.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

thank you lynda, i'm going to try to find these custom composites in nj and

maybe give them a shot. i did find a vender in ny if anyone is interested just

hope my quads aren't to weak,i hope i'm not disappointed

Laine,

[Guest guest]

Shelia did you try to put a very thin stocking over your brace ??maybe to try to

keep it in place.

Lainie

[Guest guest]

sorry misunderstood

lainie

[Guest guest]

Hi Lainie,

No, it really had nothing to do with a sock. The way it fit was just a major

dissappointment. My orthotist told me that this composite brace was just a

custom version of what he calls a toe-off brace, there was no energy return as

they claimed. You are talking about the brace that comes out of Rhode Island,

right?

Shelia

[Guest guest]

Laine,

I looked at these also, but afraid because of our quads they would not give full

benefit, but if you have used other AFOs in the past, maybe these would work for

you. Should I assume you are not happy with your current braces? I have not

worked with them as I should.

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Well I'm still standing, but one is broken,I hope to see these braces next week,

they do have a brace for weak quads and as far as you Jackie " it's not you "

Laine

[Guest guest]

Shelia.

Do you think the custom composite brace is flimsy or maybe like an off the shelf

brace?

thank you

Lainie

[Guest guest]

Hi Lainie,

The problem is that the foot section fits like an off the shelf. I do not know

if you ever had slip in foot orthotics that go into your shoe, or if you have

seen them? But that is exactly what the bottom of this brace is. There is no

control to stabilize the foot, and that is exactly what my orthotist thought.

My foot rolled over the side, cut into my skin, and got infected. I never had

this problem with any other brace. He claimed that although it is custom, it is

very much like a carbon off the shelf brace.

Shelia

[Guest guest]

Lainie,

I just got braces custom made by Custom Composite. The are made of Carbon fiber

which is very lightweight yet very strong. They must be custom made because

carbon does not bend like plastic does. I love them. I have a lot more energy

due to improved balance.

Lyn from California

[Guest guest]

Sheila,

Sorry you''re have problems with carbon composite. I have off the shelf c.

composite except they measured length of foot and ordered one that length. I

had lots of problems with the heavy plastic AFOs, one set with hinges and a

single without hinges. So don't give up...try another type.

Carl in Ohio

[Guest guest]

thank you so much lynda, i am still going to check these out,but could you

please tell me if you are having trouble finding shoes or boots also do you have

weak quads?

Lainie

[Guest guest]

Hi Lainie,

Because my carbon braces come with a padded sole, I can only wear the braces in

shoes that have removable insoles. So I was still able to wear all of my

Sketcher shoes I had been wearing with plastic braces. I just needed to remove

the insole.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

My orthotist cuts my footplates back to just beyond my arches. He does

a lot of work with the Shriners and they have found that this works

just as well as a full length footplate. It sure makes a difference in

getting shoes to work with my AFOs. I agree with you on Sketcher

shoes. They work well with my AFOs too. I wonder if the folks at

Sketcher know how well there shoes work with AFOs? I know several

other guys who wear them too with AFOs.

Bob

[Guest guest]

Hi Carl,

My physcial therapists says that an off the shelf will not work for me.

For my condition she strongly recommeded the Helios brace, which is also carbon

fiber. I already spoke to a woman with CMT who has had the Helios for 5 years,

and she has been extremely satisfied with it.

So now I am just looking forward to getting evaluated for it.

Shelia