Lower Limb Bracing | Hampshire Orthotics

From ankle supports to full leg orthoses, we provide lower limb bracing for children and adults with a wide range of conditions affecting mobility, stability, and function — at the right level for your needs, from quality stock items to fully bespoke devices.

What is Lower Limb Bracing?

Lower limb orthoses are devices designed to support, correct, or assist the function of the foot, ankle, knee, and leg. They range from relatively simple ankle supports to more complex knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) used for conditions affecting neurological or musculoskeletal function.

At Hampshire Orthotics, lower limb orthoses are provided at the level that is clinically right for you. This may be a high-quality stock item — tried on at the clinic or measured and ordered in for a fitting — a semi-custom device, or a fully bespoke orthosis individually assessed, prescribed, and fitted to you. Where a product is suitable for self-fitting, Lucy will advise you on the best place to source it and provide the guidance you need. No two patients are the same, and the approach taken always reflects your specific diagnosis, movement pattern, lifestyle, and goals.

Conditions We Support

Lower limb bracing may be appropriate for a range of conditions, including:

● Drop foot — difficulty lifting the front of the foot when walking
● Ankle instability following injury or ligament damage
● Cerebral palsy — AFOs and KAFOs to support gait and posture
● Stroke rehabilitation — supporting foot clearance and ankle control
● Spina bifida and other spinal conditions
● Knee instability, including sports-related ligament injuries
● Osteoarthritis of the knee — unloader bracing to offload a painful joint compartment
● Patellofemoral pain and tracking problems
● Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies
● Post-surgical rehabilitation

Types of Lower Limb Orthosis

Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs)

An AFO is one of the most commonly prescribed lower limb orthoses. It supports and controls the position and movement of the ankle and foot, and is used for a wide range of conditions including drop foot, spasticity, and ankle instability. AFOs can be fixed or hinged, rigid or semi-flexible — the design depends entirely on your clinical needs. We provide both custom thermoplastic AFOs and carbon fibre AFOs for patients who require a lighter, more dynamic device.

Knee Orthoses

Knee braces range from simple supports for instability or pain management to complex braces for ligament injuries or osteoarthritis. Unloader braces for knee OA are designed to shift load away from the affected joint compartment, reducing pain and improving mobility. Depending on your needs, Lucy may recommend a high-quality stock knee brace, a semi-custom device, or a fully bespoke orthosis — all following a thorough biomechanical assessment.

Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses (KAFOs)

KAFOs extend from the thigh down to the foot and are used when support is needed across both the knee and ankle simultaneously. They are commonly prescribed for conditions such as post-polio syndrome, muscular dystrophy, or significant neurological weakness.

Supra-Malleolar Orthoses (SMOs)

SMOs are used primarily in children to provide support just above the ankle. They are particularly effective for children with low muscle tone, hypermobility, or flat feet, providing a stable base for developing walking patterns.

Ground Reaction AFOs (GRAFOs)

A GRAFO is designed to address crouch gait — a pattern of walking with excessive knee and hip flexion that is common in children with cerebral palsy. By maintaining the ankle in a fixed position, the brace creates a forward force at the knee that encourages a more upright posture during walking.

Children’s Lower Limb Orthotics

Lucy has extensive experience in paediatric lower limb orthotics and understands the particular considerations involved in treating growing children. Appointments are relaxed and child-friendly, and we take time to involve both child and parent in all decisions about treatment.

Common reasons for referral in children include flat feet, in-toeing, out-toeing, tip-toe walking, and gait problems associated with conditions such as cerebral palsy, hypermobility, and spina bifida.

Book an Assessment
We provide lower limb orthotic assessment and bracing for patients of all ages. No GP referral is needed.
Phone: 023 8000 5505 • Email: admin@hampshire-orthotics.co.uk
East Gate Lodge, Embley Park, Romsey, SO51 6ZB