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The Air-Stirrup Ankle Brace has "revolitionized the management of ankle injuries". |
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The first off-the-shelf alternative to the custom BK cast was the Aircast Walking Brace in 1972. The Air-Stirrup in 1978 was the first Prefabricated ankle brace. Today more than 20,000 doctors in twenty-one countries manage lower leg injuries functionally with Aircast braces.
A novel but simple concept made this possible. A standardized outer shell, lined with comfortable supports, provides compression and a customized fit. Because of the security and comfort, the patient becomes more functional. With each step the compression pulsates, milking away swelling and edema. Function enhances "well-being". According to numerous studies it may also accelerate healing of the sprain or fracture.
The Aircast Walking Bracewas first used for functional management of a tibial non-union. Air-Stirrups are most often used for sprains, and for stable malleolar fractures. Stress fractures of the tibial/fibula are functionally managed in the Leg Brace, Osgood-Schiatter's in the Infrapatellar Brace, and tennis elbow in the biomechanically proven Pneumatic Armband.
The aircells supporting the limb are divided into two compartments. One covers only the distal 4", and an overlapping cell covers the entire area. When walking, the aircells, confined between the limb and the inelastic shell, are "squeezed" by the muscular contraction and ankle flexion of each step. Even thought the "squeezing" occurs locally, the pressure increases uniformly because of the air. And the pulse in the smaller distal cell is greater, causing graduated, pulsating compression with every step.