550 chapter 58
PLASTIC BRACES
Below the knee
For most children who need a below-knee brace, plastic braces molded to fit
the leg and foot of the individual child have many advantages:
• They are lightweight and often more
comfortable than metal braces.
• They fit the child comfortably and exactly
(if made well).
• They can be worn with ordinary shoes or
sandals, which can be easily changed when
they get worn out or wet. Shoes can be
changed for school and for work.
• They are water resistant and easy to clean.
• They are less noticeable than metal braces.
If desired, socks can be worn over them to
hide them.
FOR SCHOOL
• Children usually prefer them and are more
likely to keep wearing them.
FOR WORK
Although a little more equipment and skill are needed to make plastic braces, once
a village worker has learned the basic technique, they can be made as quickly and
easily as a simple metal brace with a clog.
A disadvantage to plastic braces is
that usually after a year or two the plastic
‘gets tired’ and breaks. However, growing
children need larger braces fairly often. It
is wise to keep the plaster mold of each
child’s brace so that a new brace can be
easily made if needed.
A suggestion to save time and money:
Keep the mold of the child’s foot—or
have the family keep it.
The biggest expense in making plastic braces is the plaster bandage used for
casting a mold of the leg. The cost can be reduced a lot by making your own plaster
bandage material (see p. 569).
Plastic braces can feel uncomfortable in hot weather
and can lead to skin irritation and fungus infections if
care is not taken. They can be made cooler by drilling
‘breathing holes’ in them. Or cut out a hole in the back.
CAUTION:
Do not put breathing
holes in the lower part
of the brace which has
to be the strongest.
Sometimes if
you cut a hole
out behind the
heel, the brace
rubs less and is
more comfortable
To prevent skin irritation, it is important to bathe
daily. It also helps to wear cotton (not nylon) stockings
under the brace and to use clean stockings every day.
This design of plastic
brace supports the knee
from the front and
pushes it back (see
p. 545 and 557).
Disabled village Children