Soft ankle/foot orthosis

Abstract

A soft ankle/foot orthosis for protecting the ankle and foot of a person. In a preferred embodiment, the soft ankle/foot orthosis comprises an outer layer of soft compressible plastic material and an inner layer of soft compressible plastic material. The inner layer of soft compressible plastic material is bonded to the inside of the outer layer of soft compressible plastic material, the inner layer and the outer layer together defining a split shell. The shell is sized and has a molded shape corresponding generally to the lower leg and foot of the person on whom it is to be worn, the lower leg portion and the foot portion of the shell being oriented generally perpendicular to one another to properly position the ankle so as to prevent fractures to the foot and/or ankle. To protect an ulcerative heel and/or ulcerative toes from contact with potentially irritating items, the shell is enlarged in the back and bottom of the heel region and is sized to extend beyond the toes of the person. One or more reinforcing stays are fixedly sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer to assist in holding the shell in its molded shape. A plurality of releasable fasteners are used to hold the shell in place on the wearer.