Ankle-foot orthoses like the Richie Brace can help patients manage foot drop and other foot and ankle pathologies conservatively. This can prevent more invasive treatments such as surgery and injections.
Introduced in 1996, the Richie Brace is a custom articulated AFO ideal in treating challenging musculoskeletal conditions including Drop foot, Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) and chronic ankle instability.
Custom Fit
The Richie Brace family of AFOs offers a variety of solutions for conditions affecting the foot and ankle. For example, the AeroSpring Plantar Fascia Offloading System alleviates pain on the back of the heel by offloading the weight from the tendon attachment on the heel bone. This relieves strain on the tendon and the underlying structure, allowing the patient to wear regular shoes and ambulate normally.
The Dynamic Assist Richie Brace is designed to stabilize the lower leg and foot in patients with weakness of the dorsiflexor and evetor muscles of the lower legs and feet. This condition often occurs as a result of neuropathy, stroke, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spinal cord injury and mild muscular dystrophy.
Unlike traditional solid AFOs the Richie Brace features a contoured balanced orthotic footplate articulated to adjustable semi-rigid leg uprights. This configuration is ideally suited to control rotational forces at the midtarsal and subtalar joints. A variety of modifications and enhancements are available to further restrict the motion at these joints in the sagittal, frontal and transverse plane.
The lightweight design of the Richie Brace allows a more natural range of motion. The lower leg uprights are positioned to leave the front and back of the leg open for air flow and comfort and patients find they are hardly aware they are wearing the brace. In addition, the rigid ankle articulation limits ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion to a range under 5° without disrupting the natural contact and heel rise phase of gait.
Durability
The plastic shell of the Richie Brace is durable, meaning it will provide support and stability for many years. It also is lightweight and low profile, offering more freedom of movement than traditional longer leg solid shell ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs).
Athletes who use the Richie Brace have found it helps them perform at higher levels without putting strain on their feet or legs. It has been used by collegiate, professional and Olympic athletes with success.
A Richie Brace can help treat a variety of foot and ankle pathologies including Drop Foot, Posterior Tibialis Tendon Dysfunction, Ankle Instability and more. It is particularly effective for treating PTTD, as it provides arch support and helps prevent a flatfoot deformity from developing. It also can be used to relieve heel pain and reduce the strain on the Achilles tendon.
Depending on the severity of the weakness and the muscles involved, a Richie Dynamic Assist Brace can also be used to assist in walking, improving stability and decreasing falls. Whether the problem is due to a trauma or a disease like muscular dystrophy, polio or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), an AFO can significantly improve quality of life by providing support and stabilization.
At Subiaco Foot & Ankle, we can fit you with a custom Richie Brace to treat a number of conditions that affect the foot and ankle. If you have a condition that is making it difficult to walk and perform daily tasks, contact our clinic today to learn more about how a Richie Brace can help.
Versatility
The Richie Brace is a revolutionary alternative to traditional ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and other lower leg-based prosthetic devices. The lightweight, low-profile design allows for better shoe fit and freedom of movement. It also helps reduce pain from injury, allowing many patients to eventually recover and discontinue use of the brace.
The standard Richie Brace is a contoured, balanced functional orthotic footplate articulated to adjustable semi-rigid lower leg uprights. It can be customised with either a standard hinge or spring-like, dynamic assist hinge to provide up to 15 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion assistance during the swing phase of gait. This can help improve walking patterns for patients with foot drop and can also alleviate plantar fasciitis by providing arch support.
In addition to the standard Richie Brace, NWPL can also create a variety of custom articulating upper leg braces. These include:
Ankle-foot orthoses are often used to treat conditions like Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) and foot drop. They can also be used to manage a variety of other neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. By helping to restore mobility and independence, AFOs can greatly improve a patient’s quality of life. They can even be beneficial for stroke survivors who experience weakness or paralysis of the affected side of their body. To learn more about the benefits of Richie Braces, contact a podiatrist at our clinic.
Comfort
The Richie Brace, with its contoured balanced orthotic footplate articulated to adjustable semi-rigid lower leg uprights, is ideally suited to stabilize rotational forces at the Midtarsal, Subtalar and Talo-Crural joints. Modifications and enhancements are available to further restrict motion in the sagittal, frontal or transverse planes. Its lightweight construction and low profile design features allow for better shoe fit, more freedom of movement and reduced pain from injury. Many patients can eventually recover and discontinue wearing their Richie Brace.
Athletes suffering from foot drop and other debilitating musculoskeletal problems of the foot and ankle can benefit greatly by working with a qualified podiatric practitioner who is trained to measure, assess, cast and fit Richie Braces. This includes sports stars like All-American linebacker Jaylon Smith who wore the Richie Dynamic Assist while recovering from a common peroneal nerve injury and foot drop.
Most Richie Brace prescriptions are for one foot, although some conditions such as Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction will require a brace for both feet. Depending on the condition, the length of time of brace use will vary from a few months to several years. Unlike some other custom AFO devices, the Richie Brace does not require an increase in shoe size and can be fitted into most shoes with a removable liner. Studies have shown that ankle bracing does not weaken muscles around the ankle and actually increases strength and endurance.