Keeping cool with leg braces (AFO's)

[disneyworldmom2]

We will be traveling next month with our son who wears AFO's. In order to wear them, he needs to wear socks under them that go up to his knees, as well as special shoes. Anyone have any tips on keeping cool with AFO's?

Thanks for your help!

[Nala56]

My daughter wore AFO's on her legs until she was 10, she has mild cp but does not need to wear them anymore as long as she does exercises. Anyway, I remember buying long socks to fit under brace and larger shoes that would fit over brace. We went to DW several times while she was still in braces. In the summer I would buy those sandals kind of like Teva's that the straps were velcro, buying a larger size I could fit her AFO into them. She still had to wear the socks but I think it was cooler.

Good luck!

[Michigan]

My oldest is 17 she has had afo's since she was a baby and will continue to need them her entire life. She wears boys tube socks under them and crocs over the AFO's.

[alizesmom]

My son (4) is nonambulatory so we don't even bother with shoes. When we go, we are actually considering :eek: (dare I say it?) giving him a break and going barefoot. Karen

[Tissa]

My son wears AFOs and I just make sure and change out his socks twice a day and also on our break take the AFOs off and let his feet breath for a while.

[dunbarfamily]

My husband had to wear AFOs for a while a few years back due to some complications from a burn injury suffered in an explosion. I'm not sure if they have different kinds of AFOs, but my husband did not have to wear socks with his. Where the AFO met his calf there were pads covered in lambskin-type material. Would it be possible to wrap the contact points in terry cloth and thus eliminate the need for socks?

What about using a simple mister bottle to keep explosed skin on legs cool? Switching out the socks is another idea that came to mind-I see that someone else has suggested that as well.

[MightyMom]

WDW is a AFO free zone for us. I refuse to make my son wear them there.
It's way too hot. His feet get sweaty. His shoes get too hot. He would be miserable if he got soaked on a water ride and then had to wear them.

My son needs max assistance to walk. ... so at WDW he is in his wheelchair 99% of the time.

If your child MUST wear them to ambulate then I would try ordering some socks that guys in the army wear. My BIL is serving in Iraq right now and my sister sends him some socks to keep his feel cool/dry while in those big boots.

"This sock is designed to fit the lifestyle of today's active athlete. Breathable mesh plus CoolMax and Lumiza fibers make for a quick drying, durable sock that becomes hard to live without.Sock Contents:* 50% CoolMax - A high performance four channel fiber engineered to enhance comfort by keeping feet cool, dry "

[Piper]

I wear AFOs and this summer, my orthodist glued very thin foam to the plastic (leg part.) It extends just a smitch past the plastic so the plastic doesn't irritate my leg. I can wear short (cool max) socks and the front of my leg isn't covered *except for the strap that holds it on) I wear shoes with a removable insole--which usually means Ryka. I just ordered some Skechers that have a removable insole, so we'll see how they work.

[Donnask8pro]

DS wears afo's. But not in WDW. I also had them drill holes in the bottom for "some" air circulation. I put him in girls trouser sock b/c they are alot thinner. He also is non-ambulatory so in Dis w/c 99% also.

[RACHELSMOM1]

WDW will be AFO free zone for us also. Rachel wears hers daily, but I see no reason for her to put up with them during her vacation. I will take them with me just in case we should change our mind, but right now the plans are to keep them in the resort room.

[GroovyWheeler]

We had my sandals (TEVA waterproof kind) modified with a longer strap on the shoe the brace goes on (right one). They, along with lightweight knee socks, keeps my feet cool. The orthopedist glued a pad on the inside of my brace, and on the inside of the calf strap, where it goes around my leg.

Samantha