On the surface, Namine getting new AFOs is kind of like her getting new shoes. There’s more to it than just new footwear, though.
When Namine’s therapist recommended that she start wearing AFOs again, she was pretty excited. She’s a fashion girl, no doubt about it, and she loves to rock a new look. She ended up picking Cosmic Bam, a design full of comic book-y art, speech bubbles, and plenty of stars.
Namine doesn’t wear her AFOs — that’s Ankle-Foot Orthotics, which just means they stabilize her ankles — all the time. She only wears them when she’s on her feet for long periods of time, like at therapy and when she’s standing at the piano bench at home.
Each AFO is specifically measured and designed for Namine’s feet. Because her legs are different from each other, compensations needed to be made for each foot. Namine’s right leg is shorter than her left, but the foot also has more curvature. So not only does the sole need to be taller on the right AFO, it also has more of a slant to enable her to stand straight.
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