The function of a brace for the weak leg caused by MS - AFO Braces could be your best friend - Personal - http://maxpages.com/happymspage/A_functional_need_for_a

You will still need braces if you are a wheelchair user. They keep your feet and lower legs from becoming deformed.Deformaity is bound to happen with muscles that you can' control.RET 4/17/2008
The use of braces ,mainly AFOs are really a blessing in saving energy, fending off fatigue and kepping spastic problems at a minumium. I have had three varietes of braces over about 17 years of primary progressive multiple sclerosis. I actually can't wait to put on my calliper style braces the first thing after my shower.
Its just a matter of feeling better and more ready for the day to get them on as quickly as possible.
My choice after two other style of braces was the calliper variety as they do have to have shoes with a calliper plate to fit the callipers into and that is expensive but always covered by insurance.They have the least contact with your skin and best in very warm weather.I have had my callipers now for 9 out of the 18 years of needing braces.
RET 1/12/08
UPDATE March 19,2008
I got an unexpected call from my doctor.About three years ago he wanted me to try the rollator either three or four wheels.He then said it would cost me a not cent as medicare would pick it up.Now he called me and said "Try walking with out the crutches
put on the braces and try to walk with a rollator.If its only for a few minutes a day
I'm afraid you midg just loose too much muscle mass just seated .So I'm trying the rollator tomorrow for maybe about two blocks and then sit down rest and come back the two blocks to home.I'm now 73 but I have no desire to be absolutely in a wheelchair the rest of my life as I probably will live a long time with my heredity and good medicine ,good food and some exercise.RET 3/19/2008

I originally thought that my AFO braces would solve many problems as I was
lead to believe by both my orthosist and my neurological doctor.In fact
they have solved many problems for me.I feel it might easily delay the
day when I will need a full time wheelchair.
I wobble and find walking just with crutches whenI first wake up very
hard any more.
The fact is I can hardly wait in teh morning to strap on my braces as
I'm doing nuch better job of delaying fatigue with my weak legs till
later in the day.
I have a healthy respect for the support they give me.Over the years
I have managed to get 8 pairs of high quality shoes with the calliper
plate attached to the shoe as now I have the style of steel and leather
braces that only have contact at one place with your leg.
They are cooler that the plastics with all that plastic rapping about
your leg in
our very hot weather in Florida.
I must say without the braces and underarm crutches which usually work
better for me than the forearm crutches,I advoiding troubles and my ankles
are actually deterated now where they will not hold me up very long without
pain. so that is why I'm very satisfied with instruments like braces that
will do teh job for me.
My teo doctors and my wife and other people who see me daily and know about
all our
travels marvel at my ability to get about easily and to so many places.
But the strange thing happen last November 2006. I looked outside in a
morning and noticed a wheelchair sitting in our drive.On closer examination
I looked at it and
noticed it was secretly left with a note on it and it said " we don't
need this
wheelchair and more and have noticed you might.It was a extralight weight
wheelchair that only weighs 20 pounds. I acceped it knowing full well it would eventually become
necesary for future movement.
Up Date Oct.30,2007
My doctor s both stated the fact that my braces are necessary to prevent
further joint damage .I get pain everytime i try now days to go without
the braces.Even if I'm mainly useing my wheelchair I need to do a bot of
walking even if its slow as it will benifit
my circulation and keep from getting my buns for having problems of being
seated
too much. UP right position is necessary for just a little bit of time every day.
RET

You are just cheated out your life and the places you can go with
the resistance
you may have to braces.Get them and see the difference your life will take .
I know people who feel braces are ugly and would have
no part of them. But they have chosen a life style that is limiting and dull.

I feel with an open mind ,you will select and expand the joys of travel,
with
the right walking assisted equipment. My doctor tells me in his over
100 MS patients
he has selected me as his easy living person."You have made a neat life
for yourself"
"your acceptance of the right equipment has made your MS lifestyle one
of envy"
"When I tell others in my practice of your travels and exploits,they
sometimes just don't believe me." You are right,I just don't want to be
a stuck in the home
cripple . i would rather be a world travler with the right equipment.
I ally myself
with crutches,braces and back pack full of things like camera, drawing
book and
water color supplies. I wish to make a record of my travels both near
and far.
I allow my life style to flow with desires and wishes to see it all .Not
stay home and miss it all.

UPDATE Jan1,2004 You don't just give up and flop into a wheelchair when your gait
really gets out of control.Many of us in SPMS get very awkard and gait becomes extreamly
a labored effort. With a wheelchair you are just unwittingly asking your spose to
push you.
Full braces of KAFOs which will come all the way up your legs to almost your groin can be either used with the knee joint locked or unlocked.
Unlocked is naturally easier but there is still some support there that AFOs would give you.
The why of the need for long braces starts in the spinal cord .The plaques accumulate to the point of you loose more control over the great muscles in the upper legs.By thta time both your crutches and AFOs really will not assist the large leg muscles.
Your large hip and knee muscles don't actually become weak its the nerves serving them
become jumbled and mis fire the nerve signal,making for very wobbly legs and frequent falls.Its at this point that the individual has to make the choice of do I want to still
keep walking or do I need a wheelchair nearly all the time.eventually it will become full
time in the wheelchair.
Long braces are not easy to learn how to properly use them.they are highly restrictive to movement,as they have to be to hold you up. But once mastered as the style of motion gets you moving ,the walk actually gets more assured and your safety is better,and the
control of body is easier.The fatigue factor will gradually diminish and your walking distance will lengthen out. The overall benifit of walking no matter what it takes,
will increase your circulation of blood and keep other vital organs in better shape.
While its possible to get exercise in a wheelchair,Most seldom do it.
RET

Update; Oct.13,2003 People affected with SPMS and usually the drop foot that accompys it are being increasingly treated with short braces.But as the leg weakens even mor the option of a full brace is beginning to be a trend so I'm told .
Getting about with full braces is better and less navigation problems than being confine to a wheelchair.Still with all the accessibility ther wheelers have they still are in last place for eacy navigation of your body.There may come a day you must but until then the braces and crutches are the better choice.

UPDATE: Jan.24,2002 New stainless steel braces are the best I have had out of three

styles in 10 years.The springs in the ankle joint actually helps you walk.
My daily walks have increased in length.Many people would advoid braces and go straight
to the wheelchair,so says my doctor.I can vouch for what she says as my best friend
for many years while struggling to walk with one crutch,and even refusing to use two
crutches in harmony movement actually got to the point where walking was so difficult
he just almost stopped.Then I turn about one day and see him coming to the MS support
group in a wheelchair.I had tried to encourage him to hold off and do the two crutches thing.Maybe a set of AFOs.He always answered the same thing.He couldn'tdo it.

UPdate December 6th 2001 A day for the truth to be told.Today at my doctor's I was
informed my legs have further atrophyed and there is now less muscle tissue and more fat cells replacing them.Fat cells do no work but take energy to move.This is normal in those of us who have SPMS.This also means a weaker set of legs RET
Dec13,2001 I was measured for new braces.While I have the plastic variety ,I seldom
wear them as they are too hot.
Last May 2001 I was fitted with the "toeoff" brand.They were OK for a while but
the old style steel and leather braces have a spring loaded ankle joint which will
help even more.I had two forces trying to infulence me as to style.One orthosist said
to me "you wouldn't like the steel and leather are they are shiny and overly draw attention to the fact you are wearing braces. The other force said these are the ones you will walk best with and longest with,both on a daily basis and over an extended time in years.Naturally are are the coolest as only one part touches the skin ,the cuff about your
calf in the leg.
Now to the first guy I said I don't care if they overly draw attention to my legs,everyone knows I'm severly disabled any way. RET

The thing which is hard to gage when a brace is made is that a different gait will
rub differently.Your gait will also change if you are attempting to walk further.And that is what braces are about,going longer and further.
Your crutches will also geing you problems when you are "pushing the envelope".
I find that it's good to rotate your different crutches.Don't just use forearm all
the time.Use under arm somedays.You hold them different and the "vector force " is different.That is since you hold them different the wear and tear to parts of your body is shifted so things like rotocuff damage is delayed or kept to a minium.
But you say "I don't use crutches I prefer a wheeled walker.Fine but you can have the
same problems with high level use.Besides you don't get the applied physics advantage
with a walker.With crutches you are getting some power from your arms .You don't get such
an advantage with the walker.And with the walker the strain is always the same.
Your back will show damage sooner too with the wheeled walkers.

Keep an eye on the fact these braces will be worn for long hours,they will get uncomfortable no matter what they they used to make the braces.You can't trade these in too soon and once you walk out with them .The orthosist will only make adjustments no exchange.

Eileen Lukeman and Richard Tanner

FL.

Eileen(Lobosgirl) and Richard (RET1000) both at aol.com

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Page Updated Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:27am EDT