afo question

[matoro]

My baby is 9 mo. and she is getting her first AFO's. I am very excited for her. She has been doing really well. She crawls all over the house but now all she wants to do is stand-up. The first time I saw her I cried. Has anyone used afo's and not needed them later on?

[misty]

When I first started walking, it took a lot of bracing to get me up (all the way up to my hips). As I got stronger, it took less bracing until I could walk around my house with no assistance, and in the community with only AFO's.

[Dodger67]

My experience is the opposite. I started (at about 18mo) with just ankle bracing and when I gave up walking (about 14yo and 100lbs/45kg) I was braced from "tits to toes"!
My leg, hip and back strength simply couldn't keep up with my growth and it all just became more effort than it was worth.

[NerdaliciouS]

I had them as a toddler, till I was 4ish. I didn't really need them at that point. I got them again at 8 or so, but still didn't need them, unless I went skating (extra ankle support). I then went years without them and I probably wouldn't need them if my back wasn't as bad as it is at this point, and my weight was down.

So I'd assume it's possible.

[ILY M&J]

My son is eight months and he's an L5 the doctors say he will be a walking baby and he is starting to stand up only he rolls his ankles. They say he might need braces but that hes still to young. Just wondering what your baby is doing when she trys to stand?

[dahliafaolan]

I was never a true walker. I had AFOs for drop foot all through childhood. For walking, I used RGOs. But I was able to get rid of the AFO's by the time I became an adult. They said that my musculature was fixed at that point and wouldn't need the braces any more.

[Kat]

What exactly is "drop foot"? I've heard it mentioned a lot on here.

[dahliafaolan]

Well in a normal foot, the foot is generally at a 90 degree angle to the leg. In a person with drop foot, the ankle muscles for whatever reason do not hold the foot up at the 90 degree angle it's supposed to be.

[Kat]

Ok, thanks dahlia. My son has one foot that is kind of floppy and the other foot is being pulled down. We are working on stretching that foot, but it seems to be getting worse instead of better. Does anyone know what they might do to correct this?

[Ziggy]

the foot that is pulled down is probably from a tight heel cord, and it can require surgery if stretching and bracing don't work.

[matoro]

ILY M&J my daughter has tightness on her right foot so it has a kidney shape, as a result when she standsit turns sideways "it rolls" she sometimes corrects it but other simes she does not. (They said it was caused by possitioning in the womb).

My daughters ortho. surgeon initially was saying that they were not going to do anything since it is a condition that usually correct is self when the child is around 3 or three yrs old and if it did not they would just do surgery.

For me that was not an acceptable answer. I went to my PT and asked her what she thought. As kids get older somethings get harder to correct since muscles tighten and bones harden and it is then that surgery is the only choice. She recomended AFO's to help with the positioning and work on correcting the tightening. I just went to the pediatritian and said I need a perscription for AFO's. My PT has someone that they work with and they came to the house made the molds and everything now I am just waiting to get them they should be here any day.

Her other foot has a different problem, its flat and the way she turns it is not good possition so they are going to take care of that too.

I hope this helps.

[LulusMom]

Lourdes (S1) is four months old now. Her (sweet little) feet have a tendency to pull up as if an invisible cord were pulling her toes toward her shins. They told me to keep gently stretching her feet in a downward (pointed toe) direction. Her feet are gradually lowering. I wonder if this could be the opposite of drop foot?

[Liznjohn]

Lourdes (S1) is four months old now. Her (sweet little) feet have a tendency to pull up as if an invisible cord were pulling her toes toward her shins. They told me to keep gently stretching her feet in a downward (pointed toe) direction. Her feet are gradually lowering. I wonder if this could be the opposite of drop foot?

LulusMom,

There are two potential problems with your child's foot that should be looked into. First is a condition called "Calcaneo-valgus" and the other is something called "Vertical Talus". These are structural problems with the foot bones where stretching will be ineffective. The good news is, often, it is just weak calf muscles not able to balance the natural pull of the "anterior muscle group" (the muscles on the front part of the shin) in which case, streching will help. Since you live in Cin. OH, there are good pediatric ortho. resources for you to have this looked at.

John

[LulusMom]

LulusMom,

There are two potential problems with your child's foot that should be looked into. First is a condition called "Calcaneo-valgus" and the other is something called "Vertical Talus". These are structural problems with the foot bones where stretching will be ineffective. The good news is, often, it is just weak calf muscles not able to balance the natural pull of the "anterior muscle group" (the muscles on the front part of the shin) in which case, streching will help. Since you live in Cin. OH, there are good pediatric ortho. resources for you to have this looked at.

John

Sorry for the late reply, John. I'm just now seeing this! Lourdes has since been thoroughly examined by an ortho. at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. What I learned is that she does indeed have weak calf muscles and that they also are fitting her with removable casts (to be worn at night) to get the muscles stretching in the opposite direction for a longer period of time than what she gets during our "diaper change" stretches. I hope she doesn't mind the casts because I can't imagine trying to function on even less sleep! ;);)
Thanks