Orthotic & Prosthetic Design and the Program in Physical Therapy at the Washington University School of Medicine, both in St. Louis, MO, reported in June that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has awarded university investigators a $185,000 grant to develop an off-loading carbon composite ankle foot orthosis (AFO).
Early testing at the university found 70% plantar pressure off-loading with the prototype AFO. The group will spend the next year developing, testing, and refining carbon composite brace designs.
