Orthotics - Tips for putting on your child's ankle foot orthosis (AFO)

Introduction

This leaflet is for parents and carers of children who have been provided with an ankle foot orthosis (AFO). It will explain how to put on the AFO and who to contact, should you require any further information.

How do I put the AFO on my child?

• Always ensure that your child is seated (preferably on a firm chair)
• Bend your child’s leg to approximately 90 degrees at the knee, as this will make it easier to position the foot in the AFO
• Ensure that all straps on the AFO are fully unfastened, unless your child’s AFO has an instep strap (the one which passes over the top of the foot) which passes through a slot in the sides of the foot part. You should allow approximately an inch of strap to remain threaded through the slot and place your thumb over it to keep it from unthreading
• Gently bring the foot up to just beyond a right-angle and slide it into the AFO
• In the case of an AFO with an instep strap which passes through a slot, slip the foot through the loop formed by the strap on the AFO, before bringing it up to 90 degrees
• Place the thumb of one hand over the top of the instep to maintain the position of the foot in the AFO and then fasten the strap which passes over this area, ensuring the soft sliding pad is centred over the top of the foot. The strap should be fastened firmly to secure the foot in the AFO, but not too tightly
• Fasten the calf strap firmly but not too tightly, ensuring that the soft sliding pad is centred over the front of the leg
• Fasten the strap which passes over the toes (if the AFO has one), again securely but not too tightly.

Who should I contact if I have any questions or need further information?

You can contact the Orthotics department at the hospital nearest to your child’s school, as they will hold the records for your child.

Bury, Rochdale or Oldham: 0161 778 2670
Email: nca.orthotics@nca.nhs.uk

Salford: 0161 206 4912
Email: salford.orthotics@nca.nhs.uk

For further information about our service, please visit:

www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk/our-services/orthotics

Our sites are open for collection and dropping off devices:

Bury: Tuesdays only
Rochdale: Thursdays only
Oldham: Mondays only
Salford: Monday - Friday