What Kind of Brace Does My Child Need? | AFO vs. SMO | Orthopro Twin Falls

Michael with OrthoPro explains the difference between AFO and SMO braces.
While they're both ankle braces that help kids with stability, the AFO and SMO have a few fundamental differences. Usually when treating a pediatric patient with hypotonic or hyperlax issues, OrthoPro will start by trying an SMO brace. SMO stands for Supra-Malleolar Orthosis, and it mostly squeezes the foot into the correct position and holds it steady so it doesn't slip out of position in any direction.
The AFO--or Ankle-Foot Orthosis--is more complicated in function. A larger brace with a hinge in the middle, the AFO helps pick up the toe for kids that have difficulty picking up their toes when they walk that results in tripping and falling. Because its larger, the AFO also provides more control throughout the entire foot and ankle.
Whether an SMO will be sufficient or your child needs an AFO to increase their stability and mobility, OrthoPro can help! Contact us today to learn more about AFO versus SMO braces and how we can find the right fit for your child.
OrthoPro is a premier provider of orthotics and prosthetics serving Twin Falls and the surrounding areas for the past 17 years and counting. Through cutting-edge technology, we provide our patients and their families lifechanging solutions with the highest quality of care.
To learn more about how we can help you or a love one who has experienced limb loss, call us at 208-733-0505 or visit our website at www.orthoprotwinfalls.com!
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AFO versus SMO. What's the difference?
An AFO and an SMO are both an ankle brace. They help kids with stability; especially those that have hypotonic, or hyperlax, or very lax feet and ankles. A great way to do that is we'll start with the SMO. What does that stand for? Supra-Malleolar Orthosis. Well, it's an ankle brace. An SMO helps, in this case, to squeeze the foot into position. When we put this on the patient, we tighten it really nice and snug and it just actually holds everything in place so things don't collapse or go off to the side.
This is an AFO. It's a little bit taller, it's a little bit longer, and it can have a hinge in it like this one. This one has a spring in its hinge. In this case, it helps to pick up the toe. Some kids have problems tripping when they're walking or running. And so by picking up the toe, this helps them swing through without catching their toes and tripping. But we also have a lot more
control over the rest of the foot and ankle too.
Where the SMO is just squeezing things into place, the AFO is pretty much a wedge, or a bit more restrictive, to hold the arch in place, the foot in place, the ankle in place, so that it doesn't go off to the side. And it extends up the back of the leg to have more control. Kind of like prying a rock out of the ground. You have a longer lever arm--so you have a longer lever, it works better to control. We spread the pressures out over a greater area. So it's a little bit more comfortable to wear. The SMO only comes up to the height just above the ankle. Where the AFO: we can see that the ankle's here and it comes up much taller.
To learn more about an AFO versus an SMO or the needs that you or your child might have, please visit our website or reach out and give us a call.
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