Ankle-foot orthosis

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides an ankle-foot orthosis that comprises: an elastic structure (50) formed of contiguous first (52) and second (54) tubular members, said second tubular member being set at an angle to the first tubular member to define, at least in use, a generally L-shaped cavity (56) configured to accept and fit closely about the foot and ankle of a patient; and a rib (58) which is permanently bonded or otherwise permanently affixed to a region of the structure which overlies the dorsum of the patient's foot in use, said rib being formed of a flexible material that has a resilience appropriate for resisting the particular degree of plantarflexion experienced by the patient.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to ankle foot orthoses. Background technique

[0002] An orthosis is a mechanical device that exerts force on a patient's limb and can be used for many different purposes. For example, an orthosis may be used for supportive, functional, corrective or protective purposes, or indeed a combination of these purposes.

[0003] Ankle-foot orthoses are generally used to provide protection to a patient's ankle and foot while providing support against hyper-plantar flexion (or more colloquially referred to as "foot drop"). Plantarflexion is a medical condition caused by disease, trauma, or a congenital abnormality. Patients affected by this condition generally have difficulty walking because the patient's foot tends to droop when lifted off the ground, and the patient typically has to lift the foot higher than it should to avoid tripping. Since typical patients also tend to exhibit poor or impaired dorsiflexion, patients often a...

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