Another response to AFO Video and my reply
Kevin Matthews
Description
Collection
Title:
Another response to AFO Video and my reply
Creator:
Kevin Matthews
Date:
7/9/2009
Text:
I will post other replies as there has been several, but I also wanted to answer some questions that have arisen in this and other replies. First the orthotist's comments then my reply:
Kevin,
I watched your videos with interest. I want to applaud you for making
your work public rather than putting a patent on it and suing your
fellow practitioners. This is the kind of interactivity that our
field needs. I also appreciate your posting comments from others,
both praising and critical of the design.
Watching your videos, I found myself saying that's absurd from time
to time. However, that's easy to say on the spur of the moment. I
think we all do that. I wondered as others did about your use of the
floor reaction design but yours is not truly a floor reaction AFO as
we know of it because you are not trying to apply extension force to
the knee. As an aside, one of our colleagues used to ridicule the
floor reaction design saying that all AFOs are floor reaction
designs. I think you simply used this design to give more rigidity
to the AFO.
As for using an articulated design instead of your solid ankle design,
you correctly focused on the collapse of the mid foot due to the tight
achilles. I, personally, have not had much success stretching a tight
achilles through use of an articulated AFO. I think that would be a
great study. What I get is a navicular jamming into the medial border
of the AFO (because the mid foot is still trying to collapse with
dorsiflexion). I do wonder what, if anything, you or PT are doing for
the patient about the tight achilles and if you'd still find this
design appropriate once dorsiflexion range is achieved. I've used a
similar technique putting the ankle in good alignment, using a solid
ankle AFO, and adding a shoe/heel lift which would be reduced as the
range improves.
I also wonder if this design is another when a man has a hammer
ideas or if you are looking at this for only particular conditions
such as the case you presented.
You did an excellant job and I hope that you keep us informed about your ideas.
Kevin,
I watched your videos with interest. I want to applaud you for making
your work public rather than putting a patent on it and suing your
fellow practitioners. This is the kind of interactivity that our
field needs. I also appreciate your posting comments from others,
both praising and critical of the design.
Watching your videos, I found myself saying that's absurd from time
to time. However, that's easy to say on the spur of the moment. I
think we all do that. I wondered as others did about your use of the
floor reaction design but yours is not truly a floor reaction AFO as
we know of it because you are not trying to apply extension force to
the knee. As an aside, one of our colleagues used to ridicule the
floor reaction design saying that all AFOs are floor reaction
designs. I think you simply used this design to give more rigidity
to the AFO.
As for using an articulated design instead of your solid ankle design,
you correctly focused on the collapse of the mid foot due to the tight
achilles. I, personally, have not had much success stretching a tight
achilles through use of an articulated AFO. I think that would be a
great study. What I get is a navicular jamming into the medial border
of the AFO (because the mid foot is still trying to collapse with
dorsiflexion). I do wonder what, if anything, you or PT are doing for
the patient about the tight achilles and if you'd still find this
design appropriate once dorsiflexion range is achieved. I've used a
similar technique putting the ankle in good alignment, using a solid
ankle AFO, and adding a shoe/heel lift which would be reduced as the
range improves.
I also wonder if this design is another when a man has a hammer
ideas or if you are looking at this for only particular conditions
such as the case you presented.
You did an excellant job and I hope that you keep us informed about your ideas.
Citation
Kevin Matthews, “Another response to AFO Video and my reply,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 8, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/230468.
