Trying on new AFOs

Namine received her new foot braces today.

Earlier this month, Namine was fitted for new AFOs. Now that they were made, we met at the clinic to try them on. Of course, all this is amid the coronavirus pandemic, so we have our face masks. The minimum safe distance of six feet just isn’t possible when the tech needs to ensure everything fits properly.

In the past, we’ve used the word “brace” interchangeably with “AFO,” since they are essentially the same thing. Now, however, I’m trying to use the term “AFO” exclusively since Namine also has braces of the teeth variety. AFO, if you’re unaware, stands for “ankle-foot orthotic.” In short, they keep her feet and ankles stable while she’s standing or walking.

After she had her AFOs put, Namine spent some time in her walker. We had brought it along for this purpose. Often times, new AFOs might need some adjustments; that was the case this time, too. After each adjustment, Namine stood up and went for another walk down the hallway.

By the time we left the clinic, Namine was exhausted. She’d been walking for about an hour and a half, a full half hour longer than her weekly physical therapy sessions. She was quite the trooper, though, and we are proud of her. We’re content with the AFOs, at least as a good starting point. We’ll see what Namine’s therapist has to say once she sees Namine walking and standing in them.

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