Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Ankle orthoses, also known as AFO (ankle foot orthosis), are devices (braces) frequently used in our day-to-day practice among patients who have severe dynamic anomalies. This kind of orthesis is like an external brace adapted to the lower extremity that modifies the neuromuscularskeletal structure as well as its functionality.The ankle foot brace makes a plantar flexion in the heel’s resting phase, causing dorsiflexion of the foot during, both in the balancing and the takeoff phases during the gait. During the resting phase it helps postural correction. It is used for spastic paralysis, traumatic patients, hemiplegia caused by a vasculocerebral accident, achillea retraction in infantile cerebral palsy as well as in limitations of different kinds of foot dorsiflexion. These patients have a sudden drop of the forefoot foot due to hypotonia or the absence of the extremity’s extensor muscles. This situation obliges the patient to put excessive force in each step on the flection of the knee and the hip in order to avoid dragging the toes on the floor. A feature of the progress of these patients is the foot’s initial contact with the floor by the forefoot unlike the first shock with the heel (biomechanically correct).

We make articulated braces for those patients who meet certain conditions. These articulated braces allow a certain mobility in the plantar flexion in the support stage and dorsification in the balancing phase. With this technique we prevent the foor rigidity at zero degrees, relative to the leg, as well as the muscular atrophy and long-term osteoarticular disorders due to the extremely dynamic limitation of the brace. It is therefore very important to make a negative mold whith the weight on the foot in order to compensate for the  position of the hindfoot and forefoot.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Making of the mold for the AFO.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Ankle foot brace. Provisional test. Side view

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Ankle foot brace. Provisional test. Front view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Ankle foot brace. Provisional test. Lateral view

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished AFO. Lateral view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished AFO. Front view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Final test.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Final test AFO

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Patient affected of echinismby ankle foot by polytraumatism

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Making of articulated AFO polypropylene of 4 mm. Provisional test.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Articulated AFO. Provisional test. Lateral view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Articulated AFO. finish test. Front view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Test phase.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Lateral view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Rear view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Front view.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Definitive Final test.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Definitive Final test.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Finished articulated AFO. Final test.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Patient carrier ofusing articulated AFO made two years ago.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Patient carrier ofusing articulated AFO made two years ago.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Patient carrier ofusing articulated AFO made two years ago.

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Detail of splintbrace. Front view

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Detail of splintbrace. Lateral view

Ankle and Foot Orthosis

Detail of brace. Watch the damping areas

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