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Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs): Your experience?

Neuropathy | Last Active: 5 hours ago | Replies (13)
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@njed

@ray666 Ray - I have idiopathic axonal sensory motor PN and in 2020, Mayo stated I have both large and small fiber. I started with bilateral drop foot around spring of 2019. I tripped and fell flat on my face more than once and in 2020 was fitted with AFO's. In 2020 my balance was still somewhat OK yet slightly challenging at times like on uneven surfaces. At the time, I was in PT and at the request of my physical therapist, my primary doctor issued a prescription for my AFO's which meant they were covered by insurance. The main purpose of the AFO's was for my drop foot, however, as an added benefit they also provide me with much improved balance.

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Replies to "@ray666 Ray - I have idiopathic axonal sensory motor PN and in 2020, Mayo stated I..."
Ray Kemble | @ray666 | 22 hours ago

Good morning, Ed (@njed)

My PN may also be a combo of large and small fiber, but up until now, all I've been able to get folks in my neurologist's office to confirm is large fiber. My original diagnosis was in August 2022. To date, my chief complaint is lousy balance. I don't believe drop foot is a contributor. I've been on alert for drop foot because I had a short-lived episode of drop foot about 10 or 15 years ago. I can still remember the onset: I was walking down the street, returning to my car, when suddenly my right foot began slip-sliding. Huh? It continued all that day, so the next day I consulted my PCP, and she sent me to a "shop" in the hospital basement where a technician fitted me with a Velcro brace. Was that brace an "official" AFO? I don't know. My foot drop cleared up after only a few short weeks, and it has not bothered me since. I blame today's trouble with balance entirely on my PN (and for me, too, uneven surfaces are especially challenging). Whether or not my PN is altogether to blame (I may also have a little stealth drop foot, who knows?), Over the past almost three years of wandering the Connect campus, I've gleaned that AFOs may help with more than just drop foot. Your message this morning only adds evidence that they do (or, at least, may do). I've an appointment this afternoon with my podiatrist. I plan to ask him about AFOs. He may direct me to my orthopedist's office, in which case I'll phone that office when I return home. If something out there can give me more stability––even a little more––I'm all for it!

Thanks, Ed!
Ray (@ray666)

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