Choosing the Right Back-to-School Clothes for AFOs

Bottoms

Loose fitting pants will be the easiest for pulling up and down over your child’s AFOs. Even some leggings, like flare leg leggings, can easily fit over AFO braces for girls. Athletic pants or basketball pants will usually give kids plenty of room to easily pull their pants on and off. If your child needs uniform pants for private school, look for a looser fitting style. Dresses, skirts, or shorts also make great options that don’t impact the AFO at all. These may not work for the entire year, however, in colder climates. Try to avoid wearing tights or tight pants under the AFOs, as they can slip down and bunch.

Shoes

When shopping for shoes to wear with your child’s AFOs, be sure to bring the AFO along. You’ll want to test how well the AFO fits with the individual styles. Look for shoes that are larger and wider than your child’s actual shoe size so that the shoe will accommodate the extra space required by the AFO. If possible, make sure you can remove the insole to give your child additional space in the shoe. Finally, you’ll want to lean toward shoes that tie or buckle to help your child hold the shoe on their feet.

Some children only need an AFO brace on one leg. This presents a problem for parents as your child will need a larger and wider shoe on the leg with the AFO brace, while a more normal sized shoe is best for the leg without an AFO brace. Research stores that allow you to buy one shoe in each size to avoid having to buy two pairs of each shoe.

Socks

The most critical item of clothing your child will need is a good seamless AFO sock. The absence of seams will help your child avoid any irritating pressure points that may cause injuries or abrasions on their legs and feet. The right sock will fit snug against the leg to avoid any wrinkling or bunching under the AFO, which will cause additional points of irritation. It is also best if the sock is moisture-wicking. Socks that are dry will help keep feet healthy and avoid any additional issues or irritations. Finally, the right sock will be long enough to fold over the top of the AFO. This helps to keep the sock in place. SmartKnit AFO socks check each of these boxes and are the best socks to wear with AFO braces.

Add Some Personality to Your Brace!

One of the best things about wearing an AFO is that your child can add their own personality to it. They can decorate the outside with stickers or other decorations that celebrate the things that they love most. Is your child’s favorite color pink? Or maybe they love to watch Bluey. Or their favorite zoo animal is a sloth. Whatever they love, they can use those things to personalize their AFO.

Following these tips will help make your back-to-school shopping a little easier. Instead of stressing over shopping, you can focus on helping your child to have their best year yet. Happy learning!