- By Appointment Only
- No Walk-ins
48yo female born with a hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia which caused an arteriovenous malformation leading to a spinal cord injury at T7 – S5. Client now has incomplete paraplegia as a result of the injury, with impaired lower limb movement and sensation, oedema, muscular atrophy, as well as tightness in the Achilles tendon and gastrocnemius muscles, bilateral foot drop, chronic neuropathic pain and lower limb spasticity. An 8mm leg length discrepancy was also noted. Client has been utilising customised leafspring ankle-foot orthoses with prefabricated and modified footwear for several years, but has trouble sourcing footwear that can accommodate the AFO without looking too broad and bulky. Inappropriate footwear has increased client’s wheelchair-dependence, further decreasing her functional capacity as she lives in an inaccessible home. Client also works in media and public relations involving red carpet appearances, so the aesthetics of her footwear is extremely important to her.
Client was supplied with a pair of custom-made orthopaedic boots with a medial heel counter extension, carbon fibre plates in midsoles and greater toe spring to increase forefoot propulsion and provide greater toe clearance. An integrated 8mm heel lift was applied to address the LLD, and removable insoles to allow accommodation of the fluctuating oedema. The leafspring AFOs were also accommodated in the footwear.
The footwear provided adequate hindfoot support with stabilisation of the ankle eversion and overpronation, increased forefoot propulsion and provided sufficient toe clearance to address the foot drop. As the footwear appropriately accommodated the AFOs without drawing attention to her disability, the client reported greater levels of adherence and use of the devices, increasing her functional capacity and independence.
Canberra
Monthly clinic for custom footwear only.
Contact Macquarie Park clinic for appointment.
2/4 Montford Crescent
North Lyneham
ACT 2602
