Ankle-foot orthosis

摘要

An ankle-foot orthosis made of a carbon fibre reinforced material having low weight is carried on the lower leg, extending over the lateral ankle and preventing plantar flexion. The orthosis may be worn under ordinary clothes and inside shoes and promotes a more natural gait pattern. The ankle-foot orthosis comprises a frame of thin flexible material extending over the front of the lower leg, anterior of the lateral ankle and beneath the sole of the foot and a supporting portion of rigid material extending over a part of the lower leg, anterior of the lateral ankle and beneath a part of the sole of the foot. The orthosis also comprises a fastening means for fastening the orthosis to the leg. In a preferred embodiment the orthosis comprises a substantially inflexible reinforcement element and a tough flexible element, the reinforcement element extending over a narrow part of substantially the whole frame and the flexible part extending over a substantial part of the sole of the foot. The frame is preferably made of thin flexible fibre glass reinforced plastic resin material, said reinforcement element being made of rigid carbon fibre reinforced plastic resin material. Said tough flexible element is preferably made of aramid fibre reinforced plastic resin. <IMAGE>