PT, PTA – this podcast may help you meet your continuing education requirements. Access Relias Academy to review course certificate information.   When considering an AFO, do you feel confident in which type to choose? Or do you ever wonder why the AFO you chose did not fix the problem? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Andrea Ecsedy, who busts the common myths held about AFOs and gets practical with how to integrate the AFO Clinical Practice Guidelines into your clinical decision-making.   (01:38) Overview of Today’s Topic  (02:39) The Importance of Closed Chain Biomechanics  (05:38) Review of the Plumb Line  (07:50) Myth #1 and #2: An AFO Alone Will Fix Foot Drag  (09:45) Recommended Resources for Gait Analysis  (11:19) Patients with Low Back Injury and Footdrop  (12:09) Patients with Neurological Conditions: Case Example  (15:56) How to Manage a Relationship with a Referring Provider  (18:24) Myth #3: Crouched Gait Indicates Weak Quads  (23:25) Case Example: Spinal Cord Tethering Release Surgery  (25:40) The Gait Cycle: A Circular Sequence  (29:24) Gait Cycle Reenactment: Stand Up and Try It  (31:59) Introduction to the Clinical Practice Guideline  (36:01) When Should You Provide an AFO Based on Strong Evidence?  (37:18) Do AFOs Contribute to Weakness?  (40:46) Categories of AFOs: Overview  (41:50) Rigid AFOs  (44:13) Posterior Leaf Spring Orthosis (PLSOs) (45:30) Open Dorsiflexion AFOs  (46:29) Off-the-Shelf AFOs  (47:27) Double Adjustable AFOs  (49:10) Where Do You Start?  (51:33) Summary (53:17) Conclusion  The content for this course was created by Andrea Ecsedy, PT, DPT, NCS. The content for this course was created by Tiffany Shubert, PT, PhD. Here is how Relias can help you earn continuing education credits:  Access your Relias Library offered by your employer to see course certificate information and exam;   or   Access the continuing education library for clinicians at Relias Academy. Review the course certificate information, and if eligible, you can purchase the course to access the course exam and receive your certificate.  Learn more about Relias at www.relias.com.    Legal Disclaimer: The content of Stretch: Relias Rehab Therapy Education is provided only for educational and training purposes for healthcare professionals. The educational material provided in this podcast should not be used as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others.  Resources  Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Ankle-Foot Orthoses Post Stroke: https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2021&issue=04000&article=00006&type=Fulltext   Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy: https://www.neuropt.org/practice-resources/anpt-clinical-practice-guidelines