What Winter Boots Work Best for a Child With Leg Braces?

 Posted on November 05, 2020 in Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) may require a wide variety of treatments and assistive devices. Leg braces are often used to improve mobility and correct deformities, but while these devices can provide a number of benefits, they also present challenges for parents and children alike. As the winter months approach, parents may be wondering about their options for winter boots that will provide children with protection from the elements while fitting over braces and allowing for easy, comfortable movement.

Footwear and Orthotics

Braces worn on the feet and legs are known as orthotics, and these devices can help address the issues experienced by those with CP, such as rigid muscles, spasticity, or low muscle tone. Orthotics can provide support and stability and improve a child’s ability to sit, stand, and walk. They can also be used to correct or prevent deformities in the muscles and bones, and they can help improve muscle strength and reduce missteps, hyperextensions, and accidents.

Ankle-foot orthotics, or AFOs, are often used by those with cerebral palsy. These braces may be made of metal or plastic, and they provide rigid support extending from the foot to the calf and lower leg. Some types of AFOs may be completely solid, while others may have hinges or be more flexible, allowing for a greater range of motion. Knee-ankle-foot orthotics, or KAFOs, may also be used to provide stability and support throughout the entire leg.

AFOs and KAFOs can be very bulky, and most standard winter boots will not have enough room to accommodate a person’s feet along with a brace’s plastic or metal parts, padding, straps, and soles. Fortunately, several manufacturers, including Butler, MyMayu, Kamik, and Stride Rite, make boots that are specially designed to fit over orthotics. These boots will often include wide front openings with room to insert a child's foot that is wearing a brace, removable insoles to make room for the bottom of a brace, and straps that allow a boot to be secured tightly around a child’s feet and legs. Parents may want to speak to a company’s customer service staff to make sure they order boots in the right sizes, ensuring that children can be warm and comfortable during the winter months.

Contact Our Illinois Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Attorneys

For parents of children with cerebral palsy, footwear is just one of many concerns, and the costs involved in providing the care and treatment a child with special needs can be very high. At the Birth Injury Law Alliance, we can help you understand the types of financial assistance that you may be entitled to in order to provide for your child’s needs, including determining whether you are owed compensation for birth injuries that occurred because of medical negligence. To learn more, contact our Chicago birth injury lawyers at 312-462-4200 and arrange your free consultation today.

Sources:

https://elizabethannlifestyle.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/afo-friendly-shoes-boots/

https://www.physio-pedia.com/Orthotics_in_Cerebral_Palsy

https://www.boundlessbracing.com/orthotic-friendly-footwear