Responses for Utley AFO
Evan Zillich
Description
Collection
Title:
Responses for Utley AFO
Creator:
Evan Zillich
Date:
12/2/2008
Text:
Thank you to so many of you providing insight on the UFO. Below are key responses and some pics for visual inspection. Thank you again.
Evan Zillich, L.O.
Responses:
Phatbraces.com
THat is an AFO design that I haven't used in a while. It is basically an afo with a lateral upright ,made of polypro,reinforced with corrugation and modified as you would for a UCBL. Last one I did was about 12 years ago and it was in North Louisiana. I know the therapist you are speaking of. SHe is quite versed in orthotic designs,glad to hear she is sharing the info with other PTs. Good Luck
Dear Evan,
Jan Utley, PT taught this AFO - sometimes called the UFO- in the 80's (if my memory serves) back when neurophys and tone reducing influences were new. Billy Cusick, Nancy Hilton were also teaching their new ideas at the time. I have made maybe two of these in my career, both worked very nicely. The patient choice is critical, a person with a mild drop foot and a mild inversion tendency in swing phase due to neurological deficit. The typical CVA who has adequate DF in short distances, but IC is on the lateral border of the foot risking an inversion strain. The person is casted in weightbearing in ten or so degrees of dorsiflexion and pronation. The trimlines on the plantar foot extend to the distal edge of the calcaneus then superior like a heel cup and then proximal posterior to the malleoli. The proximal trimlines extend to about 4-6s above the malleoli with a typical AFO calf wrap on a PLS. The material is 3/16 surlyn. The problem is the surlyn eventually fatiques. Like I said I have not done one in years, but the two worked very well. The persons wearing them appreciated the size, lack of shoe constraints and the function. The short plantar trimline is supposed to stimulate the dorsiflexion facilitation point described by Duncan. The surlyn is to allow normal ankle movement.
Let me know if you get better info. This is all from a fragile memory.
I have attached pics of the design. The key is that it is made Of TPE(thermoplastic elastomer). We have used it for about 8 years with good success on patients that do have some df strength but drag in swing. Its original intent was for the CVA patient with tone of which we have had zero success with for obvious reasons such as tone and knee hyperextension. Hope this helps
Utley was a therapist who proposed a nuerophysiologic approach to tone management. If I am correct the Utley AFO is basically a tone reducing AFO. I don't know of too many practitioners who believe that all of the tone reducing mods work the way they were advertised to. I would suggest a google search of Utley AFO's, there is a good overview article from Dulcy Lima, but it is old (1990, I believe
_________________________________________________________________
Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass.
<URL Redacted>
Evan Zillich, L.O.
Responses:
Phatbraces.com
THat is an AFO design that I haven't used in a while. It is basically an afo with a lateral upright ,made of polypro,reinforced with corrugation and modified as you would for a UCBL. Last one I did was about 12 years ago and it was in North Louisiana. I know the therapist you are speaking of. SHe is quite versed in orthotic designs,glad to hear she is sharing the info with other PTs. Good Luck
Dear Evan,
Jan Utley, PT taught this AFO - sometimes called the UFO- in the 80's (if my memory serves) back when neurophys and tone reducing influences were new. Billy Cusick, Nancy Hilton were also teaching their new ideas at the time. I have made maybe two of these in my career, both worked very nicely. The patient choice is critical, a person with a mild drop foot and a mild inversion tendency in swing phase due to neurological deficit. The typical CVA who has adequate DF in short distances, but IC is on the lateral border of the foot risking an inversion strain. The person is casted in weightbearing in ten or so degrees of dorsiflexion and pronation. The trimlines on the plantar foot extend to the distal edge of the calcaneus then superior like a heel cup and then proximal posterior to the malleoli. The proximal trimlines extend to about 4-6s above the malleoli with a typical AFO calf wrap on a PLS. The material is 3/16 surlyn. The problem is the surlyn eventually fatiques. Like I said I have not done one in years, but the two worked very well. The persons wearing them appreciated the size, lack of shoe constraints and the function. The short plantar trimline is supposed to stimulate the dorsiflexion facilitation point described by Duncan. The surlyn is to allow normal ankle movement.
Let me know if you get better info. This is all from a fragile memory.
I have attached pics of the design. The key is that it is made Of TPE(thermoplastic elastomer). We have used it for about 8 years with good success on patients that do have some df strength but drag in swing. Its original intent was for the CVA patient with tone of which we have had zero success with for obvious reasons such as tone and knee hyperextension. Hope this helps
Utley was a therapist who proposed a nuerophysiologic approach to tone management. If I am correct the Utley AFO is basically a tone reducing AFO. I don't know of too many practitioners who believe that all of the tone reducing mods work the way they were advertised to. I would suggest a google search of Utley AFO's, there is a good overview article from Dulcy Lima, but it is old (1990, I believe
_________________________________________________________________
Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass.
<URL Redacted>
Citation
Evan Zillich, “Responses for Utley AFO,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 25, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/229912.
