Instructions for use and care for your child’s Solid Ankle AFO or Articulating AFO (Ankle Foot Orthosis)

Correctly putting on your child’s orthosis is the most important key to insuring that it will be comfortable and function as it is intended. Anyone who puts the orthosis on your child should be able to demonstrate that they can do it correctly before being given that responsibility.

Improperly putting on an AFO can lead to blisters, pain, and a lack of correction of the bony alignment. Please contact our office immediately with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s orthosis.

When you put on the Ankle Foot Orthosis(AFO), do the following:

1. Have your child seated or laying on their back with their knee and hip flexed(bent). This position brings their knee toward their chest. Doing this will help to relax their muscle tone and take stress off of tight muscles. Place your child’s foot into the orthosis while keeping their knee and hip flexed.

2. Tuck the pad into the orthosis and pull the straps snug across the top of the foot just as you were instructed by your orthotist. (The pad should be placed on either the inside or outside of the foot and the corresponding strap should be tightened first.) This patient exhibits inversion/supination, therefore we tuck the pad into the lateral side to provide a little more “push” into neutral.

3. Pull the other strap snug as well. These straps must be tight enough to prevent the heel from slipping up and down inside the orthosis.

Fasten the top strap while placing your finger between the strap and the child’s leg, this strap does not need to be very tight.

4. Check to make sure the heel is to the back and bottom of the orthosis by looking through the plastic to see that the sock/heel is positioned right up to the plastic at the heel. If there is a space, repeat steps 1 and 2. Call our office if you are unable to get or keep the heel all the way into the AFO.

5. Pull a little extra sock out and make sure the toes are not cramped and that there are no wrinkles under the straps.

6. Check your child’s feet periodically the first couple of days to make sure that everything is OK. Your child should not have any red marks that last longer than 20 minutes to ½ hour after removing the afo.

****Making sure that your child’s orthosis is put on correctly is the most important key to insure that they will be comfortable. If the orthosis is put on INCORRECTLY, the likelihood of problems occurring is high. ****

MORE REMINDERS

Shoes must always be worn with the orthosis. (Athletic lace up shoes
work best). The insole must be removed.

A thin, snug fitting sock with a heel works best. (Acrylic or polyester blends work well.)

The orthosis can be washed out with soap and water upon need. Allow it to air dry.

If the Velcro wears out, contact us and we will replace it.

Call us immediately if you have any problems or questions.
Grand Rapids office (616) 956-5556