Ankle Brace

We finally started working with Dad on the new ankle brace he received, oh I don’t know, a couple of months ago. With some of the health issues we had regarding my mother being diagnosed with congestive heart failure and the holidays, there just had not been time to do it prior. Now that we have Mom’s health back under control (she is doing very well) and the holidays are a memory, we can begin to continue strengthening Dad’s right leg. We have to. I keep telling him he’s going to snowshoe with me next winter. The whole reason for the new brace, recommended by therapy, was because his right leg was improving and getting stronger.  

Currently the brace he has been wearing, for almost a year, comes up under his foot and wraps around the front of his shin. When he walks it provides support as he leans forward with his leg. The new brace is a molded plastic that comes under his heel and up the back end of his calf. The balance needed to use this brace is completely different than the other one, because you can’t rely on support being in the front of the shin. We learned this the hard way when he first brought it home and I stupidly put it on him before going to work one day, only to get a phone call a couple of hours later saying he had fallen in the TV room. Luckily he was not hurt, although it freaked him out enough that he hasn’t wanted to have anything to do with the new brace since then. After speaking with his Occupational therapist though, we agreed as long as I’m around to watch him, he should start using the brace at home. So we started this past weekend. It’s going to take him several weeks to get used to it as we are only doing this intermittently on the weekends, but he’ll get there. I’m sure it won’t be long before we can get rid of the old one. We are still working towards the goal of being able to walk one day without the use of the hemi-cane. Always the eternal optimist, I know it’s in the realm of possibilities with time. Happy Friday everyone!