Moving from boots and insoles to AFOs/DAFOs

[Melandru]

Spud wears custom insoles with high stability piedros.

The issues we are having is that they are very bulky, heavy and he is struggling to do anything remotely normal because of them, even being able to stand after a fall is difficult... OK it hard without them but made all the more with if you know what I mean?

We have tried insole in normal high street boot but they just don't offer the ankle support he needs.

My question is, how would I approach/ask the 'people that be' about changing from them to splints? Or would they even consider such thing? Would I be better off asking his physio?...... I just really don't know as we are quite new to this.

Thanks
M xx

Dd1 wears custom insoles with boots. Physio has said she would never recommend splits for dd1, and of these don't work there is nothing left to try. tonight has been hot water bottles and mess as bad is terrible

Ds went from Piedros by themselves to afos and now back to piedros with insoles!
A downside to afos is that they need to have bigger shoes to go over them so although they are light (depending on what you choose) they are rather long which can make them hard to walk in. With ds last ones, because of where all the straps were, the smallest shoes we could get over them were a size 6 (my size) and Ds feet were size 2.5! He couldn't walk properly in them at all hence going back to boots.

We have high leg Nimco as these are softer on the leather, but still hold the foot and ankle better than his old Peidro's did. My ds also has gel othotics inside. He has only ever had prescription boots and the difference between even bare feet and boots is huge. Our local physio did question splints a few years ago but GOSH physio's are reluctant as you get into a visious circle of on the one hand better stability, but to the detrement of muscle. The splint limits movement and therefore that muscle wastes to a degree, meaning that if you stop the splint you need more physio to get the muscle growing and able to function. My ds has limited muscle to begin with and we really need him to use and increase this as much as he can, so we stay with the bulky boots!

we've been told pretty much the same as nev, we're also sticking with boots and insoles. Do you see an orthotist, they're the ones that sort out boot issues for us?

Thanks for the input. Sounds like its very catch 22 stick with boot and be limited in mobility or go to AFOs and risk muscle but gain more mobility :/
We see spuds orthotist next month to get new boot so will talk to them then.

M x