It was not very long after my foot drop diagnosis that I started exploring my AFO options.  An AFO is an ankle-foot orthosis.  An AFO can be worn for a variety of reasons, including joint stabilization and gait improvement.  I dove headfirst into researching and, as with everything else related to multiple sclerosis, I was overwhelmed.  There were so many types of AFOs I had no idea where to even start.  I read about plastic versus carbon.  I read about the differences between flexible, rigid, or jointed.  I was learning new words and phrases, like posterior leaf spring and ground reaction.  Regardless of the names, they all looked cumbersome and quite uncomfortable. 

My mindset when I bought my first AFO was that I was most likely going to hate it.  I did not want to make a significant investment for that reason.  However, it is true, you get what you pay for.  I was never going to find an AFO from the internet that would meet my needs, especially my need for comfort.  Nevertheless, that is where my journey started.

In April of 2021, less than three months after I started experiencing foot drop, and after much internet searching, I settled on the Orthomen Leaf Spring Ankle Foot Orthosis. 

AFO Leaf Spring, also known as a foot drop splint, designed to provide static or dynamic support for people with the reduced ability to lift their foot due to paralysis of the anterior leg muscle group. The advantage of a drop foot brace is in its ease of use and light weight. The absence of a heel section also helps makes the drop foot brace more comfortable to wear and facilitates a better fit in many styles of footwear.

The Premium Drop Foot AFO Leaf Spring splint is made from Injection-molded polypropylene, our drop foot AFO is lightweight and provides a dorsiflexion assist to correct foot drop while walking.Variable thickness throughout the AFO provides strength, thicker on the vertical aspect for rigidity, and thinner on the footplate for easy trimming. The anatomical design compensates for atrophy and avoids heel irritation This foot drop splint is easily trimmed with scissors and/or molded with a heat gun for a customized fit when necessary to easily accommodate most types of shoes. Follow All Manufactures instructions for achieving a proper fit.

https://www.amazon.com/Orthomen-Drop-Spring-Splint-S-Right/dp/B078S1F3NV/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

I ordered my first AFO from Amazon for thirty dollars.  It was not the cheapest option, but definitely not the most expensive either.  It was what I felt comfortable paying for a trial run.  The reviews were about as good as they get.  Some people thought it was life-changing and wondered where it had been their entire life, while at least one person did not even want to spend the energy to return it and simply tossed it in the trash where they felt it belonged.

  • 1.0 out of 5 stars Does not fit properly at all could not use threw it away. Junk.
  • 1.0 out of 5 stars This will make you fall.  This extremely uncomfortable, and the bottom is extremely smooth and will slide out from underneath you right away. For someone who’s already unstable on there feet this is just plain dangerous.
  • 1.0 out of 5 stars Works but extremely uncomfortable.  It works as it is supposed too, but the back digs into your achilles. Thought the open heel would be more comfortable was totally wrong. It digs in the back so much it put a hole in a brand new pair of heavy duty boot socks in less then 5 hours of wearing the brace. I got a large which is from a size 9-12, I wear 10.5 so is the proper size, just a very poor design.
  • 1.0 out of 5 stars Cheap made. Had no stability. Was made cheap. Had absolutely no support. Wouldn’t recommend.
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars Good brace for people on a budget. Product was able to keep my foot dropping. Straps were sturdy. Easy to size foot. Saved hundreds compared to having a specialized molded brace. I liked how light weight it is.
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Brace. This brace is comfortable, supportive and lightweight. I barely know I have it on, and it works excellent for mild foot drop.
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars Makes a huge difference in walking; no dragging toe, no falling! While wearing this device, you can see the difference in my Father’s walk/gait. It keeps his foot from dragging, hence no toes dropping down to create a trip hazard. He wears it all the time.
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars Easy support for drop foot condition.Very good and helpful !  I ordered this for my mother. She has foot drop and the doctor has been telling her she needs a cane which she refuses because she is super active. She was at the physical therapist for a shoulder issue and mentioned falling and the foot drop. He suggested this brace. It’s working wonderfully! Mom says it’s comfortable light weight, and most importantly she can step up without tripping! I wish we knew about this sooner.
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars Works well for drop foot correction.  We’re using it for a drop right foot. It stays on and fits into a shoe. Because it’s pretty stable on the foot, the shoe is easier to put on too. Helps walking!
I liked how easily the AFO transferred from one pair of shoes to the next.

Walking in my new AFO was not possible.  It hurt.  The hard plastic would scrape the back of my heel with every step.  It was excruciating.  I taped padding across the problem areas.  It made no difference. I did not understand.  The back of the heel was open to prevent this very problem.  I told myself I just needed to “break it in” and forced myself to step out the front door and head toward the sidewalk.  I never made it more than fifty steps in that AFO.  However, all was not lost.  I decided to slip it into my cycling shoe and see what happened.   

You can see the foam padding I had taped to the inside of the AFO at the heel. No amount of cushion could keep the hard plastic from hurting the back of my ankle.

Where it failed for walking, the AFO did slightly better for pedaling.  It helped keep my foot flexed up.  My toes were no longer pointing down and getting caught in debris on the trail.  I did not need to worry about keeping my foot in position, the AFO did it for me.  That made a huge difference in my fatigue.  The only complaint was numbness.  I loosened my shoe, tried different inserts, and even tried no insert at all.  No matter what I did, I would have a painfully numb foot shortly into my ride.  I would need to stop frequently to wiggle my toes and slide my foot around to get any feeling back.  It was a small trade-off for the benefits I was getting from wearing it.

One good thing is how easy this was to clean after getting dirty on a bike ride. The cloth part was completely detachable.

It was a classic love/hate relationship.  That AFO went everywhere my bike and I went.  It allowed me to pedal more safely but left my foot painfully numb in the process.  If I had to walk or hike my bike any sort of distance, my heel would scream in agony as the hard plastic dug in. I stuck with it, though. 

My review probably falls somewhere in between. While it did not actually serve the function I purchased it for, it did serve as a stepping stone into the world of mobility aids.  I knew it was not the specific device for me, but it did prove to me that such a device would be beneficial. 

Alas, my plastic AFO did not stand up well to the test of time. It snapped in two as I was transferring it from one pair of cycling shoes to another. Something I had done more times than it was probably made to withstand. Given the miles I put in on my bike with it, something it wasn’t actually made for either, I am amazed at how long it did last. I feel the timing was perfect, as my foot drop was worsening and it was time to do some more serious shopping anyway.

The next few months would involve a lot more trial and error and be a lesson in patience I did not know I needed. 

Quite happy to find something that would help me pedal more safely.