People who walk with an AFO how much return in that leg do you have?

[mr_coffee]

Hello everyone.

I was curious for the people out there walking with an AFO how much return in that leg do you have?

Are you just unable to to keep your foot from dragging so you need the support?

Or are you paralzyed from your knee's down?


Im definatley converting my kafo into an AFO because as of now the KAFO is useless and i'm running out of time.

With my leg, I have strong quads, and I walk on tone but controlled tone where I can ride a bike and tell my left leg to kick in when it shouold kick in. Also I can do squats when I'm leaning against a door.

But I have no functional Hamstring movement in my leg, nor can I do quad sets. Meaning I can't kick my bad leg out, then let it come back, then kick it out again. Once I kick it out a few times it wears out. But when I walk it stays strong and stays straight. I also don't have any hip flexors. So when I walk I swing my left leg through.

I was just curious if there are others like me out there wearing an afo only.

[MikeC]

Cory, sure you'll get lots of answers. I have strong quads and maybe 20% strength in my hamstrings. However, I have no calves (flaccid) and no movement in my right ankle. I can pull my left ankle up but can't push down at all. So, the AFOs compensate for my weak ankles and calves. Sometimes I don't wear my left AFO and around the house I don't wear any AFO's but if I'm going to walk any distance I need them.

Mike

[daveh0]

I wear an AFO on my right leg. I wear it mostly to dorsi-flex my foot as I have very, very limited ability to do it on my own (I can planter-flex it though... wish it was the other way around). It also helps with knee control. My quad on that leg is pretty weak - I can extend it through about 95% of its full range (with no weight). My hamstring on that leg is even weaker - I can only get through about 50% of the range (with no weight and with gravity eliminated) and can only do that about 5 or 6 times before it tires out and quits. My hip flexor are probably just about as weak as my hamstring so I also have to swing my leg around most of the time for it to clear.

When leaving the rehab hospital, they were fitting me for a KAFO. I have a ton of tone in my quad which lets me hold weight on that side so my PT decided to get a little more agressive and send me home with an AFO instead.

My knee would hyperextend and cave into the side a lot when I first started but I was able to strengthen that leg enough to stop that.

Let me know if you want any more info.

[mr_coffee]

awesome thanks for the info guys.

I never wanted the kafo, I was walking with just a toe-up brace, not even an afo for awhile but my doctor said I should wear a kafo and my body became depedant on it. So I ripped out the joint that kept it locked and wore it unlocked so my quad is super strong and my hamstring looks strong but I can't move it.

Ii'll let u know how it goes, I think my gait will improve alot with the afo, the kafo really wears you out with how heavy it is and uncomfortable!

[betheny]

Toe-up afo, zero hamstring, weak quad, mod gluts, can twitch foot at ankle a few times (dorsiflexion). No plantar flexion. No calf muscle.

This is all when I'm in fighting shape, right now much less from Graves disease. GD makes AB's unable to walk across the room so has obviously taken a toll on me.

You'll love the AFO. I did without 2 years, walking improved greatly once I got it. What type are you getting?