arizona brace

allykay

I wore a ritchie (different brand, but fairly similar) brace for a few months for posterior tibial tendonitis. Didn't really like it/it didn't help anything.

LisaLouLou

I didn't have the same condition as you, but I wore something similar made of cloth with velcro straps that crisscrossed, just for a few weeks. Then I sprained my ankle and my doc switched me to a brace that had stiff ribs on either side of the ankle. After about 6 weeks of that he wanted me in a sneaker and to get orthotics, which I did. It took a few months and several adjustments to get used to orthotics.

I have to have a shoe that my swollen foot/ ankle and the orthotics will fit into. I have some sneakers and more expensive walking shoes that work, plus a pair of hiking sandals, inexpensive brand, that work OK too. I haven't been able to walk very far yet, or for a long period of time, but it gets better each week. I am thinking about getting some hiking boots for summer in the mountains.

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Right calcaneus fracture June 2012, surgery with six screws July 2012. Sprained right ankle October 2012.

Powerplay

Hi Evelyn, I had the Arizona brace and rarely used it because of the problem getting into shoes. You really have to have two pair of the same shoes one in your regular size and the other in a size larger so that the boot will fit in. I refused to do that so I was confined to an old pair of sneakers that I would open the laces up and force the boot in. While the boot helped with chores like moving the lawn, I really didn't find it all that beneficial for daily wearing. The cost was also ridulous even though it was all covered by my insurance it was very expensive. Now that I have had a triple arthrodesis I asked my doctor if I should wear it when doing strenuous walking and he said no. This is just my opinion but maybe since I had mine 4 yrs ago they have modified them better so they can be worn in any shoe.

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Triple Arthrodesis and Achilles lengthening 9/28/12

l129

I just got my Arizona brace on Monday - so not a week with it yet. It's attractive (not!) - if the toes were closed in, I would feel like Laura Ingalls crossing the prairie!

Since it is custom made - it takes about 2 weeks to get it after they do the casting of your foot - which is easy-peasy and takes minutes.

Mine is really not comfortable and I am on a "wearing schedule" to get adjusted to wearing it - wore it for 1 hr on day 1, 2 hrs on day 2, etc. I have a 2 week follow up with the folks that did my casting to see how things are working out.

In my particular case, my OS wrote out a prescription for it as I have a VERY flat foot and the bones are out of alignment. He said I am to wear it every day to keep my foot and ankle from "moving around" until I have flat foot reconstructive surgery.

Mine is hard rigid plastic, covered by leather and laces up. In my case, I can have no movement of my ankle - so there is no bend at all at the ankle. So it's a little clunky going up and down stairs. Your doc will write out the specs for yours.

Good thing is that it did fit into my Brooks Ariel sneakers - I didn't have to get another pair or larger size - just loosened up the laces a good bit but can still get it tied. I just had to take the insole out of the shoe when I am wearing it. It's snug but it works.

I had read a summary of some study that was done using the braces and that after wearing for months, folks were able to move to regular custom orthodics and not use the brace. So - not really sure what that was all about and if braces can realign bones but they can stabilize your foot. In my case, my OS just doesn't want my foot further out of alignment but didn't say it would re-align mine but wants my foot stabilized.

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Flat Foot Reconstruction Surgery on June 26, 2013:
Lateral Column Lengthening
Medial Translation Osteotomy
Cuneiform Osteotomy
2 bone grafts
Gastroc Recession
FDL Tendon Transfer to PTT

ldominguez

I wore an Arizona Brace for the relief of congenital severe flat foot deformity for 7 years. I had to remove the insoles from my left shoes but was able to fit the brace inside the shoes. The brace allowed me to live a normal life and even walk on a treadmill. I could barely walk before my orthopedic surgeon prescribed the brace.
I had no adverse effects to the brace other than a callus in the inside on my foot from where the brace rubbed against my foot.
I had successful triple arthrodesis surgery with Achilles tendon lengthening December 2012 and do need the brace anymore.