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At O&P In Motion Inc., we treat patients with scoliosis using custom braces. Most facilities take a plaster mold to cast the brace. We use a Scoliosis scanning machine instead! The advantages in using the Scoliosis scanning system are: 

• Faster than plaster casting          
• More precise and accurate         
• No plaster mold impression/comfort for the patient          
• The measurement is exactly reproduced          
• The professional works on the actual 3D image of the patient (not model) 

An ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) is an orthosis or brace that encumbers the ankle and foot. AFOs are externally applied and intended to control position and motion of the ankle, compensate for weakness, or correct deformities. AFOs can be used to support weak limbs, or to position a limb with contracted muscles into a more normal position. They are also used to immobilize the ankle and lower leg in the presence of arthritis or fracture, and to correct foot drop; an AFO is also known as a foot-drop brace. An AFO is generally constructed of lightweight polypropylene-based plastic in the shape of an “L”, with the upright portion behind the calf and the lower portion running under the foot. 

A DAFO (Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthosis) is a brand name for some lower extremity braces that provide thin, flexible, external support to the foot, ankle and/or lower leg. Designed to help a patient maintain a functional position, a DAFO can improve stability for successful standing and walking. Different from a traditional Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO), which is typically stiff and rigid, a DAFO is characteristically thin, flexible and wraps around the patient’s entire foot in order to provide improved sensation and alignment. Initially designed for use by pediatric patients but now sometimes used by the adult population, a DAFO encourages range of motion, allowing children to learn movement by moving and providing minimal support, only where the patient needs it. DAFOs are frequently prescribed to assist with mobility and motor skills of children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, clubfoot and autism. The concept for the original DAFO was developed in 1985 as collaboration between Don Buethorn, CPO, and Nancy M. Hylton, PT, LO. The two worked together to create a thin, flexible brace that would meet the needs of pediatric patients with neurodevelopment challenges and the result was the creation of a Washington state-based company, Cascade Dafo, Inc.

A knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) is an orthosis that encumbers the knee, ankle and foot. Motion at all three of these lower limb areas is affected by a KAFO and can include stopping motion, limiting motion, or assisting motion in any or all of the 3 planes of motion in a human joint: saggital, coronal, and axial. Mechanical hinges, as well as electrically controlled hinges have been used. Various materials for fabrication of a KAFO include but are not limited to metals, plastics, fabrics, and leather. Conditions that might benefit from the use of a KAFO include paralysis, joint laxity or arthritis, fracture, and others. Although not as widely used as knee orthoses, KAFOs can make a real difference in the life of a paralyzed person, helping them to walk therapeutically or, in the case of polio patients on a community level. These devices are expensive and require maintenance. Some research is being done to enhance the design, even NASA helped spearhead the development of a special knee joint for KAFOs