EZ Stride Introduction • The EZ Stride Carbon Fiber AFO is a dynamic, floor reaction device which restores bio-mechanical function to patients with drop foot or ankle instability • The EZ Stride is designed to fit inside the shoe, to not excessively “push out” the shoe, and to not contact the patient in critical, pressure sensitive areas • The EZ Stride is designed to be customized by the healthcare professional. This customization consists of a fitting protocol described below. Fitting Goals 1. Footplate fits snuggly in shoe to prevent migration 2. Strut should not excessively push out shoe 3. Strut should not contact patient 1. With the shoe removed, the patient should don the EZ Stride 2. The strut should be positioned in such a way that it does not contact the patient. An allowance of 1/4” should be maintained between the strut and the patients skin. 3. Once this is achieved, the practitioner should mark the footplate where the heal and toes end with a marker. The medial edge at the malleolus (ankle bone) should also be marked. 4. Remove the insole from the shoe and place it on the footplate. Line up the heal end of the insole with the heel mark on the footplate. Trace the insole pattern onto the EZ Stride footplate using a marker. This will most likely be larger and extend beyond the actual foot markings made previously on the footplate. 5. Trim the footplate to the tracing line made from the insole. If more than 1/2” of material needs to be removed, you may want to use a band-saw to trim the excess. If less than a 1/2” needs to be removed, then some sort of grinder may be used. Some examples of grinders that will work are: drum sander, belt sander, angle grinder, drill press with drum attachment, or Dremmel tool with the appropriate attachment. 6. CAUTION: Be careful not to grind the footplate edge opposite of the strut too much. You want to leave the width to insure that the strut does not contact the patient. You can always trim this later to bring the strut closer to the patient and to minimize shoe “push out”. 7. After grinding, the edge must be sanded to a smooth finish. This can be accomplished by using a polishing cone on a drill press or by simply hand sanding with a 80 grit foam sanding block. You can work it down to lighter grits if a smoother finish is desired 8. Put the modified EZ Stride in the shoe and check for a snug fit. If the footplate does not fit into the shoe, mark the areas that need to be trimmed in order to make it fit. 10. Have the patient put the shoe and EZ Stride on. Strap up the calf strap and snug tight. 11. Check to make sure that the strut is not contacting the patient and that all clearances are maintained. 12. If the strut is contacting the patient on the back of the leg, trim the heal end of the footplate to allow the orthotic to slide back into the heal of the shoe. 13. If the strut is pushing the shoe out excessively, trim the footplate edge opposite the strut to allow the footplate to move medially. 14. After all final adjustments are made, make sure the footplate is sanded to a smooth, round edge to prevent the footplate damaging the shoe.