Often when a person has a neurological issue, the subject of increased support for the feet comes up. Why can foot braces be an important part of any rehabilitation process?

When we stand, there is a complex mix of bones, muscles and neurological control that combines to create any given movement. Often people with neurological issues have difficulty with one of these areas, which can make standing and/or moving from standing more difficult. Foot bracing can help with each of these areas to maximize a person’s function.

People use more support for their foot everyday, depending on their activities. Think of the kind of footwear you use if you are on the beach, running for fitness, on the ski hill, or hiking up a mountain. Each piece of foot support is designed to give you the most support for the best performance. Foot braces are no different.

What should you look for in foot braces?

1. They should position the foot in as good of a position as possible. This means a balance between the foot turning out and in as well as having a good bend in the ankle. If your foot isn’t in a good position, they can’t give you the best performance.

2. They should be comfortable. If they aren’t comfortable, you can move at your best. Would you wear a tight shoe for a run around the track?

3. They should give enough support for the range of activities the person is doing. If I go for a hike, I want to wear hiking boots, not flip flops. If I only go hiking once every five years, maybe I don’t need a heavy duty pair of hiking boots.

How do I know the braces are working?

The fit and function of these braces depend heavily on what the goal is for bracing in the first place. Are you trying to improve balance? Prevent foot deformities? Improve walking speed?

Once you can identify the primary goal of the foot brace, then you can figure out how to measure the goal. For example, if the goal is to increase balance, you could measure how long you can stand on one foot.

Do you pre and post brace measurements, and there you go!

One final suggestion is to periodically re-do the measurements of success over time. Then you can identify potential problems early and address them quickly.

When you know what to look for and how to measure success, foot braces can be an important part of maximizing functional motor skills.

Heather Branscombe is a physical therapist in private practice. Her focus is on leading edge neurological rehabilitation with emphasis on evidenced based practice. She is the owner of Abilities Neurological Rehabilitation. Visit her website http://www.therasuit.ca

Source: www.ezinearticles.com