Re: angle of AFO's
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: angle of AFO's
Text:
To the individual who is asking about AFO angles....
Excuse me for asking, but if you are an orthotist, why don't you know the
answers to these very basic questions? Where was your education and what is
your certification?
The angle of AFOs are determined individually for each client depending on
the active and or passive range of motion, inervation (sp?) of muscles to the
lower limbs, and many other factors.
Specifically, a dropfoot diagnosis may get by just fine w/ a right angle
AFO, but other factors that need to be included are leg length discrepancies,
shoe heel heights, knee instabilities, etc. If knee hyperextention is
problematic, slight dorsiflexion can help, but remember, many clients need
slight hyperextention to feel safe if they have week quads. Large amounts of
hyperextention require dorsiflexion, and often in a rigid AFO, or an orthosis
that directly effects the knee like a KO or KAFO.
Perhaps you are using prefabricated AFOs only. Most of these are at right
angles because they are designed to be desirable to the largest group of
users possible, like many mass produced items. I am unaware of any
prefabricated AFOs that come in any degree of dorsiflexion, but know of a few
in slight plantarflexion.
Steve Baum, C.O.
Rehabilitation Technology and Therapy Center
1010 Corporation Way
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 237-9217 until June 2,
(650) 326-7504 starting June 5
e-mail < <Email Address Redacted> >
Excuse me for asking, but if you are an orthotist, why don't you know the
answers to these very basic questions? Where was your education and what is
your certification?
The angle of AFOs are determined individually for each client depending on
the active and or passive range of motion, inervation (sp?) of muscles to the
lower limbs, and many other factors.
Specifically, a dropfoot diagnosis may get by just fine w/ a right angle
AFO, but other factors that need to be included are leg length discrepancies,
shoe heel heights, knee instabilities, etc. If knee hyperextention is
problematic, slight dorsiflexion can help, but remember, many clients need
slight hyperextention to feel safe if they have week quads. Large amounts of
hyperextention require dorsiflexion, and often in a rigid AFO, or an orthosis
that directly effects the knee like a KO or KAFO.
Perhaps you are using prefabricated AFOs only. Most of these are at right
angles because they are designed to be desirable to the largest group of
users possible, like many mass produced items. I am unaware of any
prefabricated AFOs that come in any degree of dorsiflexion, but know of a few
in slight plantarflexion.
Steve Baum, C.O.
Rehabilitation Technology and Therapy Center
1010 Corporation Way
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 237-9217 until June 2,
(650) 326-7504 starting June 5
e-mail < <Email Address Redacted> >
Citation
“Re: angle of AFO's,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed May 17, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/214021.
