Foot Drop Orthosis

Musmate Ltd, P. O. Box 3976, Bath, BA1 0DF, UK. Tel. (0845) 094 4674; fax (0845) 094 4674; e-mail sales@musmate.co.uk .

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The Musmate Lower Limb Orthosis The Musmate was designated an Orthosis for Foot Drop by the FDA because it has more capabilities than the more widespread ankle foot orthosis (AFO). In particular, with an AFO, the support to stop the foot dropping comes from the back of the calf. If the leg muscles are weak following a stroke or deteriorating due to progressive multiple sclerosis, then one set of weak muscles is supporting another set. Furthermore, if there is poor knee or hip flexion, then an AFO will not help walking to the extent required. The Musmate Walking Aid comes in five pieces: an optional shoulder pad; shoulder harness for the left leg; the elasticated assembly; a shoelace or strap connector; a shoe harness. The Shoulder Harness The Musmate uses a shoulder harness as the anchor of the system. It works best when the back is kept straight and so it encourages good posture- many people with foot drop walk with a bent back because they watch their feet for signs of tripping. The use of a shouder harness does enable the Musmate to provide support over the entire leg, not just the ankle. As shown below, there are two different designs of shoulder harness - one for a single leg and one for both legs. There is an optional waist belt which does stop the shoulder harness from flopping forward if the waist is bent. The shoulder harness for both legs can be used for one leg if the waist belts are used. This can help spread the weight over both shoulders for peope who find their feet very heavy or who have shoulder weakness from injuries or illness.                                                       The single leg shoulder harness                                             The shoulder harness for both legs The shoulder harness connects to the elastic cord by means of a strap whose length is adjustable. This enables the user to control the height of their foot lift. This means they can go uphill or downhill more easily, and cope with kerbs and obstacles in the street. They can even climb stairs. The shoulder harness is available in a range of colours and sizes to fit most people. We can also make this in different widths to make it more discreet or to better spread the weight.

The Waist Belt
The waist belt is fully detachable if desired and its length is easily adjusted. We modified the waist belt for one lady who had difficulty with the clip attachment. The modified version is shown where the belt is threaded through one end of the clip which holds it in place. The lady could thread the belt on and off, and the clip could still be used by her carers as before.

standard belt		modified belt

The Elastic Connector
The next component is the elastic cord. This runs down the length of the leg. Its length is adjustable which means that it can provide the necessary support to help lift the foot (and for some people, the leg as well). It is available in black and white with various options for the hooks. There is a thinner cord available for children.

Two Black Hooks

1 Black + 1 Metal Hook

All in White

When the elastic assembly is located slightly to the rear of the user, then the pull of the elastic is not in line with the knee and so it acts like a lever and encourages the knee to bend (see diagram). The other valuable aspect of the Musmate is that during the swing phase, the elastic can be under tension which means it is carrying some of the weight of the leg. This results in an easier swing through as the wearer steps forward. Physiotherapists have reported it can be useful in cases of distal and proximal weakness in motor neurone disease (MND) patients

The elastic assembly is connected to the shoe in one of two ways. The first is a shoe harness which wraps around the shoe; the second is a shoelace connector which fits around shoelaces or sandal straps.

The Shoe Harness
The first attachment on the Musmate Orthosis is the shoe harness. This goes around the back and underneath the shoe to form a robust device for lifting the foot. This comes in three sizes. There is a small one for children and ladies with small feet, a middle size one for ladies, and a larger one for men. In addition, this does come in left and right-hand versions, and is available in black or brown.

There are advantages in putting the attachment on the outside of the shoe. Firstly, it fits most shoes. Secondly, it avoids the situation where people have to buy two different sizes of shoe to accommodate a shoe insert, such as an AFO. Finally it does leave the heel free to move, thus eliminating any concern about disuse atrophy.

The Shoelace and Strap Connector Shoelace Connectors in Many Colours	The elasticated assembly on the Musmate Orthosis can be fitted to the shoe with a shoelace connector. This goes around the shoelaces, straps, or hook & loop fastenings. It has a triangle with which to connect to the elasticated assembly. It is available in one size only, but a custom version can be produced if required. These are available in many different colours, although the plastic fittings are only in black. Remember to check the straps and laces regularly for wear and tear and replace them so that they do not break whilst the Musmate is in use.
Shoelace Connector on Sandals	Shoelace Connector on Shoes	Shoelace Connector on Trainers

The Shoulder Pad
The shoulder pad reduces the impact of the additional load on the shoulder by cushioning it. It is fully detachable so it can be used as required. It should be required less and less as the shoulder muscles develop in response to the additional work.

The Open Shoulder Pad

The harness sits on the open shoulder pad

The shoulder pad on shoulder harness for use

Musmate Ltd, P. O. Box 3976, Bath, BA1 0DF, UK.
Tel. (0845) 094 4674; fax (0845) 094 4674;
e-mail sales@musmate.co.uk .