Re: skin irritations from AFOs

[Guest guest]

I remember experiencing skin irritations from my custom made AFO when

I first started wearing one many years ago. I think the solution was

to have the orthotist punch out twelve holes in the top half of the

AFO to allow air circulation. Each hole is about the diameter of a

pencil. A well fitted AFO should not cause any irritation...just keep

going back for adjustments, and it should feel like a second skin.

My $700 AFO was made by at GF Strong Orthotics (BC Rehab)here

in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Good luck!

[Guest guest]

They did punch holes in them....it didn't matter.

Geri

[Guest guest]

Geri,

It probly is the contact dermatitis that another poster mentioned.

It's due to skin contact. The less skin contact the better you will

be. That's why you don't get it from metal braces. My plastic AFOss are

made like metal braces so they have less skin contact. So that lessens

the chance for skin probs. Wade Bader of Bader Prosthetics and

Orthotics made mine. They are cut out in the back to lessen the skin

contact. If you were to get some like mine or some metal braces, I bet

the problem would go away.

Bob

[Guest guest]

Thanks Bob.......

I don't know what it is Bob..the docs don't have any answers! But it drives me

nuts! the itching and then water blisters too... I'm thinking ..Is it my

socks? Gees I'm so sick of it.

As I have said my metal braces are very heavy..I haven't been able to use them

very much as the last time I had on ,the sole of my shoe wasn't glued good

enough and I nearly tore my foot of and my leg too. So I have been nursing my

foot as well as my swollen leg for a few mo. now. Another time they forgot to

sew my shoe straps on and well as the Velcro straps...Gees am I ever going to be

able to wear some shoes? LOL.......I don't have the best of luck when it comes

to this sort of thing!

Geri