Ankle foot orthoses straighten out weakened or twisted nerves and muscles in the foot and ankle with weak or twisted nerves, the foot can’t tell the calf muscles to contract, this can cause the foot to collapse and twist, causing pain and foot drop.
Ankle foot orthoses straighten out the nerves and calf muscles, allowing the foot and ankle to contract normally, it also helps support weak areas in the foot, like the foot’s arch, which increased support can help people feel more confident when walking and standing.
Plus, the increased support can help improve foot drop and some people with foot drop also have foot flatness or foot bunions and ankle-foot orthosis can help with these conditions, too.
Why Does Foot Drop Occur?
Contracture occurs when nerves in the foot or ankle become twisted or damaged, which can cause a foot drop.
Wearing shoes that are too tight or not supportive enough can also cause foot drop, and weakness is when the muscles controlling the foot and ankle don’t work the way they’re supposed to.
AFOs are worn on the ankle to help control footdrop by straightening out the nerves and muscles in the foot and ankle while some people also have a condition called intrinsic foot deformity, which happens when the foot flattens too early or too much.
AFOs can help make the foot less flat, especially in cases when the foot is too flat or too short, in some cases, wearing an AFO can even help people with foot drops by giving them more height in the foot.
Is an AFO Right for You?
People who have foot drops often have an underlying physical condition that affects the foot or ankle, it’s important to see a podiatrist to make sure you’re getting the right treatment plan before trying an ankle-foot orthosis.
It’s also helpful to see a podiatrist while wearing an ankle-foot orthosis to make sure it’s helping to control foot drops and if you’re wearing an ankle-foot orthosis to help control foot drops, you should see your podiatrist regularly.
If you have a foot deformity or foot drop that’s not getting better with an afo for foot drop, you should get it checked out by a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon.
Wear your AFO Correctly and Safely
Wearing an ankle-foot orthosis is a medical procedure, this means that you need to follow the instructions your podiatrist gives you, and if you have questions, ask your podiatrist or foot doctor.
You need to wear your AFO correctly to get the most benefit from it that means wearing it correctly for your exact condition and for how long it’ll take to see results, you should wear your AFO while you’re resting.
That means dr rashel products it while you’re sleeping and while you’re awake, but remember to take the orthosis off while you’re doing activities where you need good foot movement, like doing chores, walking your dog, playing sports, etc.
Do not run or jump, which could cause you to twist your ankle and twist your foot, which can make your foot drop worse also, do not wear your orthosis while you’re doing strenuous activities, like running, gym workouts, etc.