Hi there. Dan Rinella here.
Another question that we get is “ How long do I need to wear my afo?”
To best answer you, we actually have to give you the relative answer because there’s different ways to look at this situation.
We’ve seen people wear an AFO for 20 years. So, you can wear an AFO for a long time. But if you’re a growing child or if you’re a child, if you’re watching this video or reading this blog post, trying to learn more about it for your child, they grow, right? That’s no secret. They only might be able to wear a brace for 6 to 12 months before getting a new one. That’s common for these AFO braces that are out there. That’s common for back braces, scoliosis braces, things like that.
So, how long can you wear an AFO really depends on how much you end up wearing it. I would definitely recommend, though, that you go see your orthotist every year. People go to the dentist every year. You know, maybe on your way back home you can hit the orthotist shop too from the dentist office.
That way they can kind of have a conversation with you and discuss where you’re at with the brace. Sometimes, you don’t need all the support you did in the beginning. So, adjustments can be made, and you wouldn’t have to wear such a big brace anyways later, just in certain scenarios.
I hope that helped you but there is no definitive answer on how long to wear your AFO. Sometimes, they last 20 years. I can tell you that the current Medicare rule is just a rule of thumb at this moment in time is that Medicare will usually pay for one brace for every five years, if that helps you.
So, an AFO brace for your left and then one for your right is covered once every five years if you have Medicare. They don’t just pay for multiples per leg. Again, this is a rule of thumb.
So, now, if you have another insurance though, they might cover one every year. They might cover more than one every year. It just depends on your plan.
I hope that helps you. A lot of times these braces can be stretched out more than a year, especially if you’re an adult. But, having a good conversation with your orthotist and maybe bringing what you already have to show them, and you guys can have a discussion about that. I would definitely recommend seeing an orthotist if you’re curious about how long you can wear your brace or at least bring it up in the conversation when you go to get your definitive delivery of your walking aid.
Thanks and good luck.
