An off-the-shelf brace that can be customized to match each drop foot patient’s shock absorption requirements and his or her foot/calf angle is available through Swede-O Inc, North Branch, Minn. The Step-Smart is low profile, engineered to be comfortable and easy to use, and to provide the proper dynamics to imitate the natural foot and ankle movements.
According to the company’s website, the Step-Smart brace is designed not only for clearance during the swing phase, but also to handle shock absorption at heel strike. The exclusive Jacob Joint is intended to push the foot into gentle dorsiflexion during swing phase. The preloaded feature of the joint then absorbs shock and decelerates the plantar flexion phase instantaneously during heel strike.
The site notes that the dorsiflexion assist Jacob Joint comes complete with three sets of replaceable compression components that offer varying degrees of shock absorption.
For more information visit www.swedeo.com
[Source: Swede-O Inc]
