At Masterton Foot Clinic, prescribing and fitting Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) is a key part of our specialist service offering. We are one of the few podiatry clinics in the region with extensive experience in lower limb bracing, including custom and prefabricated AFOs tailored to a wide range of conditions.
An AFO is a brace that supports the foot and ankle, designed to control motion, assist walking, and protect or support the lower leg. Whether used short-term during recovery or long-term in neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, AFOs can make a significant difference to mobility and quality of life.
We prescribe AFOs to:
- Improve Stability: Reduce the risk of falls by supporting weak or unstable ankles.
- Correct Alignment: Control abnormal foot and ankle positioning during walking.
- Assist Foot Clearance: Help lift the foot during swing phase in cases of foot drop.
- Reduce Pain: Offload stress on joints, tendons, or plantar structures.
- Support Rehabilitation: Aid recovery from injury or surgery by restricting harmful movements.
AFOs are commonly prescribed for:
- Neurological Conditions: Such as stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or peripheral nerve injury, where control of the foot and ankle is impaired.
- Muscle Weakness (Foot Drop): Due to peroneal nerve injury or degenerative conditions.
- Rehabilitation Post-Injury or Surgery: Including ankle fractures, Achilles repairs, or tendon dysfunction.
- Structural Instability or Deformity: In cases of severe flatfoot, ankle arthritis, or midfoot collapse.
AFOs we prescribe
Xtern AFO Brace (Foot Drop)
The Xtern AFO is an ideal solution for those living with foot drop who want to wear a wide range of shoes - from hiking boots to sandals to dress shoes. Living with foot drop can already be so limiting - so we’re excited to share that with the Xtern ankle-foot orthotic (AFO), you no longer have to be limited in your footwear options. This fantastic brace can be changed from shoe to shoe in seconds, given that it sits entirely outside of the shoe, which also maximises your comfort and prevents any rubbing or skin injuries from having…
EXO-L Ankle Sprain Prevention Brace
Save your ankles from sprains once and for all with the EXO-L Ankle Sprain Prevention Brace, exclusive to Masterton Foot Clinic. We’re on a mission to make ankle sprains a problem of the past - and now, we’ve got the best device on the market to make it a reality. Why? Year after year, we saw you battling with pain, limping at work, sitting out sporting seasons, missing out on family time, and having your health and fitness goals blocked by ankle sprains. So when the opportunity came to help you do something about it - in an innovative and…
EXO-L UP Brace For Foot Drop
The EXO-L UP is the #1 solution for patients with foot drop and other neurological conditions that cause weakness at the foot and ankle. If you find it difficult to point your toes upwards to lift your foot so that it doesn’t hit the ground when you walk, this brace is absolutely for you. In today’s world of modern medicine, it still baffles us how many people have been told that there’s nothing more that can be done for them aside from putting them in a large, clunky brace that is difficult to walk in, doesn’t fit their shoes,…