[tri-med] Re: AFOs

Thanks Karen. I think my  son will need something
similar as he is still not walking and it has been
mentioned  to splint his feet at night to try and
stretch his ligaments to prevent them from getting any
tighter.

Katy. Son t8 mosaic.


--- Karen <karens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Katy Roberts"
> > Can I ask what an AFO is?
> 
> Katy,
> AFO is an acronym that stands for Ankle Foot
> Orthosis - its a type of 
> orthotic or splint that goes from below the knee
> joint around the back of 
> the calf, the back of the anke and holds the foot.
> They can be used for all 
> sorts of reasons. They used to be called leg braces
> back in the dinosaur age 
> (ie when I was little :-)) Calipers is another term
> though they tend to 
> refer to the metal rods that attach to shoes. (used
> much less often these 
> days, but still used on occasion.)
> 
> AFO is actually a general term, Alex's AFO are
> actually dynamic tamaric 
> joint AFO's (which simple means that the ankle part
> is hinged rather than 
> static and tamarac describes the specific type of
> hinge used) They are very 
> different from most of the kids on the list but they
> are still called AFO's. 
> Alex has them because he has tight hamstrings and
> his ankles roll when he 
> walks. Additionally Alex has very funky toes which
> throw his balance off 
> (the big toe and the next are normal size but the
> remaining three are teeny 
> toes) The AFO simply keeps things aligned better and
> give him better 
> balance. Because he walks (and runs) he needs the
> dynamic ankle joint, but 
> its a weak point for a very active kid and we
> usually end up getting the 
> joint repaired often!!
> 
> Most orthotics have an acronym eg MAFO = Moulded
> Ankle Foot Orthoses, which 
> is actually what most of our kids have.
> WHO = Wrist Hand Orthoses
> HKFO = Hip, Knee, Foot Orthoses
> SMAFO = Supramalleolar Ankle Foot Orthoses
> GRAFO = Ground Reaction Ankle Foot Orthoses and the
> list goes on and on.
> 
> Sometimes they dont have an acronym - eg Alex also
> uses a spica thumb 
> splint, and thats what its called. And sometimes
> they don't have a name at 
> all eg the thumb splint we used for Alex as a babe
> was designed by me :-)) 
> and its a combination of a couple of different
> dynamic splints that I have 
> seen and used. Also the splint wasnt made out of
> normal splinting material 
> (thermoplastics) it was actually made out of
> neoprene.
> 
> In the US they tend to use prefabricated AFO's where
> as here in Australia 
> they are still hand made from scratch for the most
> part though some 
> hospitals are moving towards prefabricated AFO's but
> they are different to 
> the pre-fabricated ones used in the US.
> 
> Here in Australia an orthotist usually makes leg
> orthoses, and OT's hand 
> orthoses though physios and OT's are all taught how
> to make both and 
> sometimes do.
> 
> When Alex's are made the orthotist takes a plaster
> mould of his legs (just 
> as if he had a broken leg). Then in the workshop he
> gets a flat sheet of 
> thermosplastic material (there are different types
> depending on the use, 
> some are more flexible than others eg sansplint,
> aquaplast, polyform etc) 
> and heats it in a warm water bath. The plastic is
> then moulded around the 
> cast he has of Alex's legs. As the material cools it
> goes hard and stays in 
> the shape its moulded to. In the US they use
> premoulded orthoses rather than 
> the flat sheet and simply adjust them as necessary.
> 
> Velcro straps are added and then he goes back for a
> fitting. He sees if 
> there are pressure points etc (areas that rub or get
> red and could lead to a 
> sore). These areas are adjusted using a heat gun.
> When the material is 
> heated it reverts back to the original shape (that
> is it has memory). So the 
> orthotic can be easily adjusted by heating it.
> 
> Of course the problem with that is you cant leave
> them in the sun or sitting 
> beside a heater. I have had to remould many splints
> in my day (including 
> Alex's) because they have been left in his bag in
> the car. You get back to 
> the car to find a very interesting splint or
> unusually shaped AFO.
> 
> There is a limit to the number of times it can be
> reheated however and thats 
> why old AFO's have a limited re-use capability.
> Especially in the US because 
> as I said they tend to use the pre-fabricated AFO's.
> But for those without 
> insurance I guess there would be a use. Alex's
> orthotics cost around $800  - 
> $900 each leg and that doesn't include the cost of
> the appointments.
> 
> Here in Australia old AFO's are collected and sent
> to third world 
> countries - eg Alex's last lot went to Thailand.
> They are re-used by 
> missions, orphanages etc. I started collecting them
> to send over there after 
> a friend from Uni did three months in an orphanage /
> leper colony (Hansons 
> Disease), She had all the skills to make AFO's but
> thermoplastic material 
> was too expensive, instead their splints and
> artificial limbs were made by 
> the children themselves out of reeds.
> 
> Demi (now on the Wings list) used to collect them to
> send to Peru where she 
> spent many months working with the underprivelaged
> after her son Connor 
> passed away. Not sure if she still collects and
> sends them over or if she 
> could give you an address to send them to but I can
> ask if you cant find a 
> local collection point. It can take Demi a little
> while to answer emails at 
> the moment because she has just adopted a beautiful
> son. :-)))
> 
> Life consists not in holding good cards but in
> playing those you hold well.
>                                             -- Josh
> Billings
> 
> Keep Looking For Rainbows!!
>    _--_|\
>  /Karen \
>  \ _.--._ /
>           v Karen, Mum to Alex (12 years, T-18
> Mosaic)
> http://members.optushome.com.au/karens
> 
> 
> 
>                   Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                        www.trisomyonline.org
>                   Families Helping Families On-line
> 
> 



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