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Could AFOs help with balance?? They are helping me!

Neuropathy | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (16)
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@georgejshannon

I had AFOs over 20 years ago.

I had polio as a child in 1958, which is the reason my doctor recommended the AFOs.

However, on my right leg, which was affected the most by polio, the AFO caused muscle atrophy in my calf. This is because the top of the AFO was putting pressure on the nerves at the top of my calf. Having had polio, my nerves are more susceptible to such things. Atrophy is permanent!

Bottom line: be careful with AFOs if you have nerve damage such as from polio. If I had to do it again, I would forgo the AFOs. The atrophy causes instability when walking, which in turn causes back pain.

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Replies to "I had AFOs over 20 years ago. I had polio as a child in 1958, which..."
domiha | @domiha | 6 days ago

Thank you for sharing your story, George. And thanks for the tip regarding muscle atrophy. As NJEd pointed out, there is no "one size fits all" with neuropathy or any other malady. People should always consult with their healthcare providers. That being said, it's also good to have information from others here on Connect to learn of things that are helping others... to then bring up those possibilities with doctors. Over the years I have learned that we have to be our own advocates for health care. Doctors are often totally swamped, too often patients are wheeled in and out too quickly, and some doctors are still doing things they way they always did it and they don't want to learn of new ideas if they are approaching retirement. So I tend to research, research and then research some more, and I am so grateful to have found a community like Connect where I can hear of others' experiences with symptoms and health issues similar to my own. Best wishes to all! Mike

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