Limited no more

Dimitrios Kalantzis
Thursday, August 09, 2012

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Fifteen-year-old Brandon Harris, of Chicago, spent nearly his entire life wearing an ankle-foot orthotic on his right leg. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Harris never seemed to let his disability get in the way.

He's a natural athlete, says his mother, Crystal Chinn.

But the brace he'd worn since he was 18 months old limited his mobility.

That is, until last year, when Brandon was fitted with WalkAide, a much smaller device that sends electrical signals to his peroneal nerve, mitigating the effects of his foot drop.

"It has changed his gait dramatically," Chinn says. "It's wonderful."

WalkAide is used for cases of foot drop caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis, incomplete spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy.

In addition to improving a person's ability to walk, it also increases the distance the wearer can walk.

For Harris, there were unexpected benefits.

For one, he could put away his custom sneakers and opt for more fashionable brands. No small change for a teenager in high school, Chinn says.

Perhaps more unexpected, Chinn adds, was a noticeable growth in his leg muscle.

WalkAide is custom fit and painless, Chinn says, though Brandon did notice a slight sensation early on.

For information, visit hanger.com or call (877) 442-6437.

This article appeared in the Summer 2012 edition of Chicago Special Parent.