Pediatric Bracing

Pediatric Bracing Provided

When designing all bracing, we take special care to ensure that the limb is stabilized in proper alignment (or as close as the anatomy will comfortably allow). Braces are designed to correct ankle/foot/knee alignment, provide a stable base of support for standing and walking, and maintain proper positioning for healthy joint growth.

Below are some of the devices we commonly provide:

• Supra-Malleolar Orthosis (SMO) - Commonly used to correct flat or pronated feet, address feet that “turn out” or “walking on the inside of the ankles”
• Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) - Used to address the most severe cases described above, as well as addressing muscle weakness, ankle instability, spasticity, contractures and skeletal abnormalities.
• Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis (KAFO) - This device spans from the toes to the groin and provides maximum stability.
  • It is often designed to be worn at night to stretch existing, or prevent development of, contractures of the knee and ankle/foot.
  • Used when standing/walking to provide stability to the knee and ankle/foot when muscular control is not possible. Forearm crutches or a walker are required for walking with KAFOs.
• Hip Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis (HKAFO) - This brace spans from the toes to the hips and is used for standing and walking when advanced muscle weakness is present, common for some levels of spina bifida and spinal cord injuries. Forearm crutches or a walker are required for walking with HKAFOs.
• Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (RGO) - An RGO can be used for walking limited distances for people with paralysis due to spinal cord injury or other neurological diseases, including spina bifida.
  • An RGO can enable patients with lower-body weakness or paralysis to stand upright and walk with the help of crutches or a walker. 
  • This device spans from the chest to the toes and functions to advance one leg at a time. The user rotates the torso and shifts his/her weight to the forward leg, this permits the opposite leg to move forward. Then the motion is repeated for the opposite leg.
• SWASH Hip Orthosis - The SWASH increases sitting and standing balance in children with hip adductor spasticity (scissoring), which is common with spastic cerebral palsy.
• Spinal Bracing - We commonly use a variation of a Benik or Spio trunk orthosis with custom thermoplastic panels to provide support to the trunk in children who struggle to remain sitting. When wearing the device, they are able to better concentrate on other activities which involve the use of their hands.
• Clubfoot/Ponseti Brace - This device is used as phase 2 of the Ponseti clubfoot correction method.
  • Following serial casting, the child is fit with the Ponseti brace, which consists of two special shoes (or boots) that attach at each end to a bar. 
• Wrist Hand Orthosis (WHO) - For children with poor hand coordination, a wrist/hand/thumb splint can stabilize the hand in the “functional position” to increase use of the hands.
  • Children with spasticity are oftentimes fit with a device to maintain the fingers, hands and wrists in neutral alignment to stretch existing tendon tightness and prevent development of contractures. The muscles and tendons being in a lengthened state allows for easier use of the upper extremities during the day.
• Elbow Orthosis - Bracing for contracture management.

Our experienced orthotist is here to help your little one get the support they need with the right pediatric brace. If you have any questions or would like to know how to get started, please give us a call!
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