Well I am finally, finally getting fitted for an AFO today. It was suppose to happen months ago but the Neuro sent me to a place I like to call our local malpractice center and naturally, true to form, they mixed up my records, couldn't find them, couldn't get in touch with the therapist who 'allegedly' preformed the evaluation. But I honestly expected nothing less in the years I've had the misfortune to endure their shoddy malpractice treatments.

But now I am heading to a real medical center . And getting evaluated again but they actually looked at the notes my neuro sent them, and have access to my neuro's and pcp's records as well, and they assured me that yeah... I'll be evaluated and measured for my AFO. (not sure if that's suppose to make me glad or not, seems like it should be rather sad...)

IN any event, I am excited, it will probably be uncomfortable as all get out, and might make me want to gnaw my leg off like a beaver caught in a trap, but I should be able to "walk!" And maybe, just maybe I can take some of the stress off my right leg to stop some of the pain and instability there, when it's not dragging along a left leg and the extra 30-50lb I've put on since the left leg's been dragged along side me.

Please someone... anyone... tell me I'm right... That this isn't something that's going to be more a bother than a helper. I did just get an awesome new wheelchair... but I'd rather not use it, it's super comfy, glides like a dream, turns on a dime... but it's not my own two legs, if you know what I mean.

Sorry if I'm being whiny... I'm happy, but at the same time, I've worn braces. Tons and tons of braces throughout my life, they're hot, they're scratchy, they need to be adjusted ALL the TIME, or they'll slip and slide and chafe and just bleh. But they've helped... and I've only ever worn the "one size fits close enough" I've never had one made "for me". Really hoping that makes all the difference in the world, or at least all the difference in the town, if you will. I'd even take all the difference in the hamlet, if it means I can actually walk around for more than 20' or so.

hi starz,

maybe it's just me but what's an AFO? some kind of brace i take it.
i hope it helps. when do you get it?

what kind are you getting? The plastic ones that fit into shoes, or the ones with the metal braces that are permanently fitted into a shoe?

This is the one I have. This is a couple of shoes ago. I haven't worn it for the better part of a year. I probably need to, but I had some edema, and it's a little tight around the calf. And I've been feeling that I wanted to try to build up muscle in that leg. So, I've only worn it intermittently over the past year.

Hi starz! Hopefully you will love your AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic). My old bulky white plastic thing served it's purpose but I never "loved" wearing it. Could only find one pair of shoes to fit and they had to be a size too big to accommodate the thing.

Here's my new one: https://ottobockus.com/zb2b4ob/us01/...imable/p/28U23. It fits in almost any pair of shoes, even some winter boots.

I hope yours is "loveable"!

I finally got my AFO... It's a super lightweight carbon fiber one. OmG!!! does it feel so nice to walk! I might even be able to run with it on once I get my legs healing up just a bit more, or so the PT isn't restricting me from doing . The PT also loved the split sole shoes that I picked up as did the brace guy. The AFO fits perfectly with my new shoes and I still get to utilize the benefit of the split sole arch support with it.

They had another brace they were thinking of giving me, but I really didn't like it much, but this carbon one was just like a duck to water. I stumbled a bit first time standing up with it on, but that first step actually felt like a real step! My back feels so much better now that I'm not dragging my left leg around, my hips feel better, my right leg!! Wow the relief to it, and my left leg just feels WONDERFUL!!! And it's so so so comfortable, like there's nothing at all on my leg or foot, it's just magically working! Though you can see it if I'm wearing shorts, and unless they're kind of bell-bottoms you can sort of see it when I'm wearing jeans. There's a bit extra bulge at the bottom of the leg, but hey, I don't really care at all if people see that I have a working leg!!

It's far less conspicuous than the cane... which I don't have to use anymore . (for now, but I'll worry about the later, when it comes)

I used to wear mine around the outside of my jeans, and sweatpants. I never was bothered about wearing it while wearing shorts.

I probably do need to get a new AFO fitted for my right leg, and I probably need one for the left leg too. (I actually have one for the left, but I've never actually worn that for more than a day. It was too annoying to walk with two of them at the time).

I've been having a lot of issues lately with my knees, and lower back hurting. The AFO that I have needs some serious adjusting, because my leg has kind of gained a little weight. I don't think it's edema, or if it is edema, it's not super bad edema. I just think I gained weight in my legs naturally by not doing enough exercise, and eating the wrong foods, in higher amounts than I should be eating.

Just don't want to have to go back to struggling to get the stupid thing on every day. I've been trying to build up muscle in my legs on my own, to see if that helps anything. I just no longer have a physiatrist, or a neurologist. (lost the physiatrist because my insurance changed...then I found out three weeks ago that I lost my neurologist LAST YEAR when my insurance changed, and I never even knew about it until I went to see him three weeks ago. Wish I'd known. That was a $150 on my credit card a week before Xmas, just to talk to him for 12minutes)

If I find a new physiatrist, and they want me to go back to an AFO, I'm going to ask for the kind that fits inside the shoe, instead of the American Civil War technology that I'd been wearing before. It's exhausting dragging 3 extra pounds of footwear around.

Good for you, Starz! What brand is it?

It's an "Allard" I guess, is what it says on the sticker at least.

And I could not imagine having one like yours Erin, seems like it would hinder rather than help the issue. An AFO is normally because your leg is weak or injured, so how does a three pound weight help that . My fingers are certainly crossed that you'll get a newer model soon. And your insurance won't give you grief over it.

Before insurance on mine, it was $800 or so, after insurance it was only $140 ish. A bit more than the other brace they were think of going with, but well worth the extra $40 difference I think. And best of all, through the process I learned that it was not so much the shredded tendons and ripped ligaments that was causing the foot drop on my left leg, but that the brain just isn't sending the signal along to tell the foot to pick up. My legs are quite strong (or so the PT said) just the nerves telling them what to do are shorted out somewhere.

So I don't know if that will make a difference in braces. My left foot just needs a reminder to "pick up" so mines a toe-off brace that just kind of bounces my toes upwards when I release weight from the foot. Which is helping the right leg out a lot since I'm no longer doing like a tip-toed step on the right side while kicking my toes up on the left with ever step I take to clear the floor.

And once again got complimented on my posture . Seriously, does no one stand up straight anymore? The radiologists ooh and aah over my back, the doctors always have to say something about it, now the PT guys are amazed. Though I did tease him that I make hopping on one foot look "so graceful" before getting the brace .

And I ran today Just with the GB and not very fast or far... But still, I ran. I didn't fall, my knees didn't crap out on me, my ankles didn't scream... Oh gosh did it feel so good to run. I have so very much so missed it.

Super Starz!!!!!!