My New AFOs

Three weeks ago, I wrote about Derrick Campana, the man who makes orthotics for animals. Today, I'll tell you about my own experience with these braces. I wore ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) for the first time while I was in preschool. They kept my deformed feet in place when I sat in my wheelchair and used a prone stander for weight-bearing. As I grew throughout my childhood, new AFOs were made for me with my last ones being made before I underwent post-surgery rehabilitation in 1998. At that time, I wore my AFOs while using a supine stander. After a while, they didn't fit well due to weight gain, and I didn't feel like getting new ones.

Last year, a DEXA scan showed my osteoporosis worsened. So, my parents and I decided it was time to get new AFOs so I can weight-bear on my feet again. Last month, I went to Hanger Clinic in Melbourne, Florida, where an orthotic specialist made a mold of my feet and lower legs. Last Thursday, I went back to Hanger to get my new AFOs, which were a much better fit than my old ones. I wore them while using my supine stander this weekend, and they were comfortable. There were a few red spots on my feet due to pressure, but the redness went away quickly. My new AFOs will help me in my effort to make my bones stronger. For more information about Hanger, go to http://www.hangerclinic.com/Pages/default.aspx.

My new AFOs
(Photo by Tracy Jensen-McGrath)