SAFO Testimonials
Susan Oldfield
SAFOs and me: Susan Oldfield, a Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease sufferer, explains how SAFO has helped her walking, balance and driving.
"I was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) 28 years ago after finding my thumbs were too weak to do up my baby's nappy pins. There is no cure for this nerve disorder, which causes muscle wasting. Without the use of my thumbs, I couldn't play the piano and flute, knit and sew. Unable to control my feet, I also found it difficult to walk, run, balance and cycle. By 2000, I was falling over regularly, tripping on uneven surfaces, and always fearful of breaking my hip. The NHS offered me rigid NHS plastic leg splints but wearing them was painful and made it impossible to drive a car. I felt desperate.
A chance browse on the web revealed Dorset Orthopaedic’s newly invented SAFO (Silicone Ankle Foot Orthosis). From the moment I tried one on, I knew they would solve my problems. I've worn SAFOs now for eight years and tripping over is a thing of the past! They hold my feet comfortably, enabling me to put my heel down first in a normal walking gait rather than the high-stepping action I had previously to lift my toes off the ground. The silicone fabric is warm and flexible, and can be repaired if it splits. I can drive a car safely in them, which has prolonged my active life and given me new interests. I now enjoy gardening without fear of overbalancing; I also go cross-country walking with my husband and can even do country dancing!
I wear SAFOs daily from morning to night, and have had no insoluble problems with them. In very hot weather, if I'm on a long plane journey, or if I don’t need to go anywhere for a while, I take them off to avoid my feet swelling up. I take good care of my feet to avoid fungal infections, which are a drawback in any moist warm footwear. I use talc to help my SAFOs slide on easily without sticking, and wash them regularly with a low-cost anti-bacterial cleanser from a chemist.
A new pressure point develops occasionally as my feet change shape through continuing muscle wastage. However, Dorset Orthopaedic's skilled orthotists quickly adjust the fit of the SAFO, and all is well again.
Dorset Orthopaedic continues to upgrade the design of SAFOs. The three large fastening flaps are much easier for my weak fingers to close than the original single-flap design. The firm has worked hard to ensure SAFOs are available with NHS funding, and I would encourage anyone who suffers with dropped feet to ask about them. They have transformed my life!"
