Ankle Foot Orthosis or AFO, as it is often shortened too, is an orthotic device that is often commonly called an ankle brace or an ankle splint. This device will typically encompass the ankle and foot area. The objective usually is to control or enhance the position or movement at the foot and ankle.

At Ortho-heel we have cutting edge techniques and highly skilled clinicians that can design an your AFO to be be fixed at the ankle to stabilise all joints. This means the ankle does not permit any motion. There are various clinical indications for the selection of a fixed ankle. If the ankle is fixed within the AFO design, it must then be aligned correctly using the patient’s footwear and additional in-shoe devices consistent with the best published guidelines. To align this correctly this can take between 30 minutes to 1 hour. The alignment will always have to be reviewed and tailored to suit each patient user.  We know that we must optimise this alignment on an individualised basis, which we call fine tuning. The alignment will vary always vary from person to person; therefore, the alignment must be carefully considered to optimise the patients walking pattern. This may take a few follow up review appointments.  Failure to use the correct materials and / or failure to align the AFO correctly will ultimately fail.

We offer a review of any existing devices, the most common issue ortho-heel observe with reviews of devices supplied within the NHS are skin breakdown, pain poor walking pattern. We pride ourselves on using the best available evidence from clinical trials and use cutting edge technology to help select the correct materials and dictate the best alignment angles with these devices to optimise patient outcomes.

The AFO can have an ankle section which allows movement; we can often call this a hinged AFO or articulating AFO. Again, there are various indications for the use of these designs. This allows the clinician to select an appropriate range of movement for the patient to use. Some of these designs are not available in the NHS, we have no limit to these designs.

We also have the possibility of exploring carbon fibre options, which are highly effective for sports. Some users like to have this option for sporting activities.

An in-depth biomechanical assessment is required to establish which options are available for the patient. Patients who have any of the following conditions will most likely benefit from an AFO;

• Drop foot
• Stroke
• Cerebral palsy (CP)
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
• Poliomyelitis (Polio)
• Post-polio syndrome
• Spina Bifida
• Arthritis
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Injury or Trauma
• Muscle Weakness
• Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD)
• Severe ankle instability

All AFOs supplied by Ortho-Heel have an unlimited follow up period should any adjustments or reviews be required after the device is prescribed. You will receive an immediate appointment should you require a review of your device. This is a unique service. Contact for more details