Dr. Marc Feder, DPM, talks about the new Blaze MI AFO for post tib (Posterior Tibial Tendonitis or PTD). The Blaze MI ankle brace is a custom ankle foot orthosis that helps people with medial ankle instability. It is an articulated design that works well for those with early stage PTTD.
See http://www.insightful-products for more info.
In this “Foot of the Week” episode, we talk about the evolution of the medial malleolar window in our custom brace design for post tib or posterior tibial tendonitis (PTTD or PTD). The Blaze MI brace includes a relief for the medial malleolus called a window, and since its orgination, the shapes have changed. Now the brace even includes a relief or window for the navicular or any other prominent bone of the foot. This provide the required support while also providing the needed space and “give” when pressures and pain are high.
In this week’s video blog, we have a guest appearance by Diana Bean, granddaughter of LL Bean, who happens to wear Insightful’s Blaze MI brace for post tib (posterior tibial tendonitis). She had some pain in her toe caused by a condition called hammertoes. This condition is not addressed by the Blaze brace, but provided us an opportunity to show how shoes often need adjustment in order to relieve pain and discomfort. In this particular situation, the shoe needed to be marked in the area creating the pressure so that the orthotist could remove some material from the shoe thereby creating more space for the problematic toe. Often times when pressure or irritation is a problem, people incorrectly think that adding padding is the answer. The solution is actually the reverse of what most people might think. Rather than adding more padding or cushioning to the area of the foot and ankle, the answer is to remove material from the shoe or ankle brace, creating the required space. This is called a “relief” for the prominent area of the foot and ankle. This is a practice commonly used in AFO’s or ankle foot orthoses but also is commonly needed in shoe fitting.
In this week’s episode, we demonstrate how simple it is to put the Schooner Gauntlet style AFO on the foot and in the shoe. This gauntlet AFO is easier to put on than the Arizona AFO, the Buffalo Brace, the TCO, Amber AFO, Rybo, or Mile High AFO. All of these types of braces are used to treat PTTD, Post Tib tendon disorder (Posterior tibial tendonitis) but we believe that donning the Schooner AFO is much easier and fits better in most shoes.
In this weeks’s vblog, we discuss our pediatric AFO, called the SMO. The SMO ankle brace or SMO orthotic, stands for Supramalleollar orthoses. This pediatric AFO is a soft AFO for children. The ankle orthosis allows both dorsiflexion and plantarflexion but provides the support kids require when pronation is a problem.
For questions, call us at 207 885-0414 or email us at sales@insightful-products.com
http://www.insightful-products.com
In this weeks vblog, we demonstrate the AFO strategy used by Insightful to attach the AFO or ankle brace to the shoe using velcro. The foot and ankle brace is attached to the shoe using hook and loop pile. By attaching the ankle brace to the shoe, the unit becomes one. All of Insightful’s bracing is designed to work with a shoe and not without a shoe. Fastening the brace to the shoe makes it easier to don the brace or to put the brace on but also keeps the brace placed back in the heel of the shoe. This keeps the brace from creeping forward in the shoe and using up space in the shoe.
In this Week’s video blog, we discuss the use of reliefs or windows in Insightful’s ankle bracing techniques. In the case of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), the medial column of the ankle can be collapsed which results in prominent areas of the foot and ankle. While we attempt to make correction to the PTTD, these areas of the foot and ankle need relief. Without relief, the post tib patient will feel pain. In order to provide correction and relief at the same time, we apply pressure to the more tolerant areas of the foot and ankle while avoiding the prominent painful areas.
For more information, go to http://www.insightful-products.com or AFO-blog.com or call us at 207-885-0414.
AFO for “Post tib” (Post Tib tendon dysfunction – PTTD). Similar to the “Arizona Brace” or “Arizona AFO” but includes insightful features.
When immobilization and circumferential support are needed an articulated design such as the Blaze MI is not indicated. Posterior tibialis tendonitis is often accompanied by a plantarflexion contracture that is not correctable in the dorsiflexion range. For these and cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis the leather wrap and leveraged control from a Schooner is the design of choice.
New Schooner Gauntlet AFO for PTTD
This superior design recruits all the insightful tactics used to control tibial rotation through the following features:
· Padded “Arch” Strap
· Extended medial wall
· Fifth ray cutout
· Malleolar window
The leverage gained through the careful placement of the “I” strap is unsurpassed. Your patients will appreciate the control and comfort that this strap affords.
Sometimes custom bracing is the only solution for such things as Posterior Tibial Dysfunction (PTTD).
For more information, please visit our website at www.insightful-products.com
AFO Blog 