When An SMO Isn’t Quite Enough
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
Today I want to highlight an option for those kiddos who are kind of between two phases—maybe they’re two or three years old, have really low tone or significant pronation, and aren’t doing much weight bearing yet, but we know walking is coming.
An SMO might be where we ultimately want to go, but sometimes you look at that kid and think, “Man, that’s just not enough support right now.”
That’s where these two-stage options can be really helpful.
More Support Now, Less Support Later
One option is the Surestep Indy 2 Stage, where the SMO fits right into an AFO.
The AFO gives that kiddo the extra support they need to work on weight bearing. It can also make things easier for parents and therapists—you’re not trying to control the ankles, knees, hips, and everything else at once.
Then, once they’re more comfortable and confident with weight bearing, we can remove the AFO and go right into the SMO.
Another option is pairing a 3D-printed Piro SMO with a ToeOFF-style brace, which can give us a similar setup with a little more dynamic support.
Meet Your Kid Where They’re
That’s really the big takeaway.
Maybe they only use the AFO portion for six weeks or a few months. That’s okay! If that extra support helps jumpstart weight bearing and gives them the confidence they need to eventually succeed with just the SMO, that can be a huge win.
Instead of asking an SMO to do more than it can right now, we can give the kid the support they need today and then scale back as they progress.
There you go—two-in-one options for those younger kiddos who need a little extra help getting started.
Hope this helps!
Dave