Lucas’s walking improves after just six months in his new AFOs

Lucas in his new AFOs

Cerebral palsy patient Lucas sees significant improvement in his walking after six months with new custom Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) from London Orthotic Consultancy's Manchester clinic.

Lucas, who is one of a twin, suffered brain damage in utero before his birth and was subsequently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is the name given to a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination. It can affect people in different ways and the severity of symptoms can vary enormously depending on the extent of brain damage.

In Lucas’s case, both of his legs are affected, he walks with the assistance of splints (or Ankle Foot Orthoses) and a walking frame and for longer journeys, he uses an electric chair. Until he was nine years old, Lucas was under the care of the NHS.

His mother, Anna, was becoming increasingly concerned about the latest orthoses provided – Turbomeds. They rubbed a lot and more seriously, they were not improving Lucas’s walking. In fact, his stride length was reducing over time. It was actually his case manager who suggested Anna contact LOC and arrange a consultation to review his current orthotic prescription.

Lucas was assessed in LOC’s Manchester clinic by Professor Saeed Forghany in September 2023. Saeed heads up LOC’s Manchester clinic which is based on Salford University’s campus.

Anna comments: “Saeed has been fantastic, he is very friendly and obviously very knowledgeable,and he definitely knows his stuff, while being very approachable and responsive to our needs. And of course there are major differences in the service that is provided. I was very impressed by the clinic and its Gait Lab, which is a really good size.

A proper amount of time is allocated to appointments; two hours is the norm rather than the exception. This allows Saeed to take the time to get the new bespoke fixed ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) to fit perfectly, fine-tune them if necessary, and review everything on video. And again, make adjustments if necessary.

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As a parent, you are not left in a vacuum. I was able to watch the videos myself, and Saeed explained what he was measuring and what improvements he was looking for. You can actually see the results of tiny adjustments to the AFOs. It is so wonderful to be able to understand what is going on.

"Crucially, Professor Saeed involved Lucas in this process, showing him the videos and explaining how important it was for him to wear his AFOs as much of the time as possible.”​

This has made it easier for me as well because someone else is telling him what he should be doing. And in a very short time we have seen the improvements in Lucas’s gait. He is no longer toe walking, has a much better heel-to-toe strike and much better extension to his knees. He is also much more comfortable in his AFOs from LOC.

One final difference is the insistence that bespoke footwear is prescribed to complement the AFOs. As it was explained to me very simply, getting the footwear right is as important as getting the AFOs right, the two must work together. The NHS did not provide footwear so we used to make do with off-the shelf shoes and boots.”

If you think your child would benefit from a gait analysis and assessment, please contact us to book an appointment today.