Congratulations of
receiving your AFO or KAFO from Progressive. We
have carefully made it specifically for you. Any adjustments
can be made in any of our offices, while you wait.
We strongly
recommend that your AFO or KAFO be worn with socks,
preferably thick cotton tube socks. There is
hard material pressing against your skin and bone, and
wearing a sock between the brace and your leg will pad the
skin and absorb moisture, helping to prevent blister that
might other wise occur. If perspiration becomes a problem
with a sock, simply change socks once or twice a day.
Also, fold the top edge of the sock over the edge of the to
keep the sock from sliding down the leg.
Getting used to
the AFO or KAFO
When you first
begin wearing your orthosis your leg will be receiving
support it is unused to. Because of this, it may
be necessary for you to wear your orthosis off and on for
the first week or two, and that is OK, but if you are
comfortable wearing your AFO or KAFO full time right away, that
is even better! As a rule, patients find that the more they
wear the brace, the more comfortable wearing becomes, and
the more mobility they experience
Inspecting
It is important to
consistently inspect yourself daily, as this will allow you
to stop formation of irritations early in their development.
This is especially important for diabetic patients, and if
you have diabetes we recommend inspecting your feet three
times a day for the first two weeks, and from then on at
least twice daily. When checking yourself, examine
your leg, foot and ankle for bright red marks, blisters,
calluses, or any other changes. Slight discoloration
or pinkishness is normal, but watch for skin breakdown.
Wearing An AFO or
KAFO in shoes
The AFO or KAFO
should be worn in a new pair of shoes. The orthosis,
(with the exception of the toe off brace) will take up room
in the shoe. To solve this problem, try purchasing a
shoe one whole size larger than you normally wear,
preferring lace-up shoes and avoiding narrow cut shoes or
shoes with low counters and little depth. This size
will usually allow room for the AFO or KAFO without being
too large to wear without the orthosis. However, if
you have a wide foot it may be necessary to purchase a extra
depth shoe. This type of shoe has a thick insert which
once removed will provide the extra space you need.
Should you need an extra depth shoe, we carry a wide range
from multiple manufacturers, so simply call us about it and
we will set you up.
Cleaning your AFO
or KAFO
Being constructed
primarily from plastic makes the AFO and also the KAFO
simple to clean. Simply use a damp cloth to wipe it
out, and be sure to dry thoroughly before wearing it.
If necessary, you may rinse out your brace, but avoid
getting the straps or any leather wet. Never use a
heat source to dry you brace, this may reform it.
If you have any
difficulties, or need a question answered, please feel free
to call us.
