05 Jul Ankle Instability In Cerebral Palsy
Our team here at Masterton Foot Clinic has a strong interest in helping manage neurological conditions that affect the feet and legs – and can have a significant effect on the quality of life of those affected. We have extensive expertise in helping manage the foot complications associated with Cerebral Palsy, including the use of the innovative and leading EXO-L UP brace.
Cerebral Palsy: Overview
Cerebral Palsy describes a group of movement disorders that tend to start in early childhood. While at this young age kids can move independently, but they do so with significantly more difficulty, having 52% or less, maximum contractile force in the feet and legs compared to same-aged children without Cerebral Palsy. In the majority of those affected, this greatly affects their ankle stability, as we rely on the strength of our ligaments and muscles surrounding the ankle to help us walk smoothly, confidently and with ease.
Cerebral Palsy And Ankle Instability
Ankle instability in those with Cerebral Palsy can come about in several ways – including from low muscle tone that results in weakness and excess flexibility, and from high muscle tone which causes stiffness and spasticity. Either way, these have a significant impact on a person’s walking patterns (gait), ability to walk unassisted, confidence on their feet, falls risk and much more.
Due to these differences, as well as the wide range of muscles and tissues that may be affected at differing severities, every person with Cerebral Palsy that we care for has a uniquely tailored treatment plan. This is essential, especially considering the effects extend far beyond the ankle joint. For example, if a person also has knee deformities or shortened muscles in the legs, we’ll create a unique approach based on the severity of the problem and the best solution.
Our Role In Managing Ankle Stability In Cerebral Palsy
If you’ve never seen a podiatrist before, we focus our careers on helping improve the function of the lower limbs while helping our patients recover from or prevent injury, improve their performance, and treat a number of pains. When it comes to Cerebral Palsy, we are part of the important holistic, multi-disciplinary team that work together with our different specialties to help get the best results.
From a podiatry perspective, it’s important for us to be able to offer you the best solutions for your foot and leg health, which includes bringing the most innovative solutions for our patients. Previously, this has come in the form of ankle foot orthotics (AFOs), which effectively improve ankle stability, balance control and postural reactions. Custom AFOs have significant benefits in being able to help with a lot of gait and stability issues associated with Cerebral Palsy, although they do have a setback in their big and bulky (and sometimes heavy) nature, which is often not the preference of our patients. This is exactly why we’ve made a big step forward to offer a lightweight and slim solution for ankle instability by offering the EXO-L anti-sprain brace.
The EXO-L Anti-Sprain Brace
The EXO-L is proven to prevent up to 95% of all ankle sprains. It’s a brace that is custom-designed for your ankle, prescribed only after a comprehensive assessment and a 3D foot scan. It works just like a seat belt – kicking into action the moment you’re about to roll your ankle and painfully overstretch your ankle ligaments, which would cause a sprain. As it does, it cradles the ankle, stops it from moving outside of the ‘safe’ zone, and offers full support and control to prevent ankle damage and pain.
You can learn more about the EXO-L brace here.
Is Foot Drop A Big Problem?
If foot drop is a big problem for you, then we also have the sister brace to the EXO-L – the EXO-L UP available. EXO-L UP is our number one solution for patients with foot drop and other neurological conditions that cause weakness at the foot and ankle. It is 3D scanned to fit your ankle and shoes perfectly, and is very light and slim in its design, easily being hidden beneath your trouser legs. We love that instead of you having to work with a big and clunky brace, this brace works with you instead.
Learn more about the EXO-L UP brace here.
Physical Therapy
Alongside the braces, we offer various other therapies to best care for you. This includes physical therapy to help improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the ankle that will make everyday movements easier for those with cerebral palsy. Studies have proven that having a good physical therapy programme can help improve coordination, balance, endurance, pain management, posture and gait – meaning overall improved function and quality of life.
Shoes And Shoe Modifications
Our shoes create the ground we walk on and can add to the support our ankles receive – or leave them less supported. While we don’t sell shoes in our clinic, we can use your assessment findings to recommend the best footwear options for you. These may be regular footwear with firm support around the ankle, or orthopedic footwear. We’ll also assess if modifications to your existing or new shoes may best assist your ankle stability and movement.
Have any questions about how our Masterton podiatry team can help you best manage your ankle stability and your confidence on your feet? Get in touch with our podiatry team to book an appointment today.