Braced for failure

I got some new braces today. They are big honking things that look like Robert Griffin III should be wearing them, not a wheelchair user who doesn't walk.

I think I am the most hopeful about them; no one else seems to think they'll work.

My therapist recommended them, although she was clear to tell me not to get them unless they felt right. My ankles are flexible enough ... now, she says. The problem becomes if I do nothing, and my foot becomes more entrenched in the "drop foot" angle, an angle closer to 180 degrees at the ankle, rather than 90. By getting braces now, I can stretch my ankle and put off problems.

But they don't feel right -- that's why I asked for a test period before buying.

The front of my foot tended to slide out of the brace when we tried it. I think, though, I need to see whether it happens when I am lying down. We'll see tonight. It sure feels odd to be the most optimistic about them.