Foot of the Week – Episode 19 – Drop foot Case study

In this week’s episode, we visit a local foot and ankle doctor to help fit a bilateral pair of AFO’s or ankle braces. This particular case involves a patient with foot drop or drop foot in one leg and lateral ankle instability in the other. The solution for the inversion problem was the Cuboid Lock design used for the lateral ankle problem and the Step-Smart for the Foot drop problem. The Step-Smart also provides lateral support to control inversion and will help prevent the ankle from rolling over.

Video Transcript:
Does it feel more stable?
Yup.
You look good.
I just need to balance more.
Yeah, the brace will give you some stability but it’s not going to help your balance.
No, nothing to do about that.
It looks good, it looks like you have good clearance, and it’s looking like it’s stabilizing your feet nicely.
Yeah, I don’t feel like I’m going to trip.
You don’t feel like you’re going to trip?
Nope.
Good, well it looks like a nice solution there. Do you think that’s going to work for you?
I think it’s gonna work, yeah it’s a lot more comfortable than the other one.
Dr. Juris, do you think that’s going to be nice?
You’re walking so much better than when you walked in.
Yeah, I feel a lot better for sure.
So she’s got a Step Smart brace on her left side and it controls some of the inversion. And on the right side, she’s got a Cuboid Lock design which is strictly an inversion control design. The Step Smart brace does both inversion and some Drop Foot.
A lot better, lightweight, and comfortable on the foot. I had a bigger shoe for my left foot. With the other brace I had I had to have a bigger shoe than the right one. This works really really well. I had three altogether, three different ones.
No kidding. Three different braces.
I tried to make it better, but it didn’t work.
And these do, you think?
These fit good. I mean I actually really feel good. So long as that foot doesn’t stub, fall down and stub. I trip on rugs.
You didn’t trip today so I think you’re gonna be all set.
Yeah, I think it’s good.