|  | Family Health | Childrens Health

Ankle Braces for Children

Ankle braces, otherwise known as ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) serve two purposes for your child. They help your child walk better, and they help shape the child's foot when he suffers from foot deformities such as high arches, drop foot or flat foot. However, some braces work better for foot shaping than walking and vice versa. The best brace for your child depends on his needs.

  1. Soild AFO

    • The solid AFO is ideal for shaping your child's foot. The adequate strapping and forward binding of your child's ankle keeps the shape of his foot in the intended position. Since the brace does not bind the sides of the foot, your child's toes are free to move and roll as he walks. The solid AFO also offers a flexible fit. The 10 degree, upright frontward pitch of the braces works perfectly when your child wears sneakers. However, the configuration of this brace won't fit the postures of all children.

    Spiral AFO

    • Though the spiral AFO is difficult to construct and adjust, they allow flexibility and can inhibit or support motion in a particular direction, depending on the needs of your child. Children who have lost their ability to coordinate their muscle movements, suffer from athetoid cerebral palsy or dystonia, which causes muscle spasms and prolonged contractions of muscles, often benefit from spiral AFOs.

    Hinged AFO

    • The hinged AFO can easily fit into your child's shoe and control an inward rotation of the foot. The strap on the back of this brace, however, only allows it to move so far forward, limiting the control the child has over his movements. For this reason, the hinged AFO works best for foot shaping, not walking.

    Dorsiflexion Assist AFO

    • The dorisflexion assist AFO is similar to the hinged AFO except that if allows your child to walk easier. It is equipped with a spring-inspired hinge that helps lift the foot when your child picks his foot up. Though it does allow the child a more normal gait than the hinged AFO, the dorisfexion assist AFO is still best for foot shaping, not walking.

Childrens Health - Related Articles