Home Login/Join My Space Help Members Forums Search Today's Active Topics New Since Last Visit
Kennedys Disease Association Homepage    Kennedys Disease Community    Forums  Hop To Forum Categories  General Discussion  Hop To Forums  Accesibility    AFO - One that appears to work

Moderators: Bruce, SusanneW
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
AFO - One that appears to work
 Login/Join
 
Picture of Bruce
Registered: 09-28-2005
Posts: 654
posted   Reply With QuoteReport This Post  
Murray, a past KDA board member and a person living with KD has advised me of a new AFO that is working for him. It gives him greater mobility and confidence. You can read more about it in my "Living with Kennedy's Disease" blog. Link: http://kennedysdisease.blogspo...-be-of-interest.html
Location: San Luis Obispo CA
Registered: 10-10-2005
Posts: 163
posted   Hide PostReply With QuoteReport This Post  
I'm going to give it a try even though I'm not walking much at all these day.

Looks like it might provide some protection from break bones during a fall - at least legs bones! Smiler


=================
email:rheitzman at gmail
Location: San Luis Obispo CA
Registered: 10-10-2005
Posts: 163
posted   Hide PostReply With QuoteReport This Post  
The AFO didn't work all that well for me. I'm pretty far along and I don't walk more than a few feet using a walker for transfers. The AFO made transfers more difficult (standing up) and itI made my short steps more difficult as I needed to raise my leg more than usual to take a step. It did give me more stability while free standing but it didn't seem to add the the amount of time I could stand without hanging on to anything. I didn't try the device for very long and never did take more than a few steps so keep that in mind.

I can imagine that if I tried the device a few years earlier it may have been of some benefit. I know one benefit would be protecting your leg and ankle bones during a fall. I think the bone breaking falls we take are the one's where the knee buckles and we fall forward on the leg and dropping a lot of weigh on the back of the lower leg - at least that was the case for two bone breaking falls for me. The AFO would have prevented the breaks in my opinion. I had a fall that was similar once while I still had a cast on and no damage was done. The cast just redirected my fall backwards.

So if your are still walking free style the AFOs may be of benefit. Hope they work for you!


=================
email:rheitzman at gmail
Registered: 08-29-2006
Posts: 10
posted   Hide PostReply With QuoteReport This Post  
I have just had Allard ToeOFFs fitted to both feet. After using them for a week, I think they are a definite benefit. As I have no strength in my feet, I tended to hobble along balancing on my heels. Now I have a little support further forward in my feet and am much more stable. Additionally, my balance has improved because they support my calves.
Picture of Bruce
Registered: 09-28-2005
Posts: 654
posted   Hide PostReply With QuoteReport This Post  
Cliff, thanks for sharing. That is great news ... anything is good when it makes us safer and keeps us mobile.
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

Kennedys Disease Association Homepage    Kennedys Disease Community    Forums  Hop To Forum Categories  General Discussion  Hop To Forums  Accesibility    AFO - One that appears to work

Kennedy's Disease Association
PO Box 1105 Coarsegold CA 93614
Tel: 1-855-532-7762
Email: info@kennedysdisease.org