Committing yourself to a product or service can be gut wrenching. There is so much to evaluate and ultimately decide upon, especially in this age of multiple-choices. You will have to live with that decision for the foreseeable future, unless you return the product, get your money back, keep looking and begin the nerve wracking process all over again.
If you're like me, you probably depend on reviews by other people who either post on the product page or on sites like Yelp! and Amazon. You can also go to places like abilities.com. and disabledsportsusa.org to see a variety of adaptive products. I will just open up a link to help you decide for yourself. So without further ado, I will get started with what I have and know, and what has helped me.
If you're like me, you probably depend on reviews by other people who either post on the product page or on sites like Yelp! and Amazon. You can also go to places like abilities.com. and disabledsportsusa.org to see a variety of adaptive products. I will just open up a link to help you decide for yourself. So without further ado, I will get started with what I have and know, and what has helped me.
The WalkAide® and Bioness® Systems: Pros and Cons
My closet is chocked full with memories of odd shoes, braces soft and hard, shoe linings, electrodes and shoeboxes. I have gotten rid of most of the stuff, and am more selective about what I have allowed into my closet. All of it was an attempt to make walking easier after my stroke. Hemiplegia took its toll on the right side of my body. I went through phases where I worked on one issue at the time. My speech, my walking, my arm, my aphasia, were all competing for attention. This review is a result of a desire, over three and a half years, to improve my walking mobility.
Footdrop or Dropfoot, It's All the Same
People who suffer from footdrop know that it can be a major hindrance in getting from one place to another. When walking, the instep never extends, it just flops at the ankle and can cause falls when the toes drag. Many times you see people with drop foot dragging their foot behind, at an angle. As you can imagine, this is a dangerous situation because the foot can not clear the toes, and might result in a fall.
There is no dorsiflexion in the foot, and in the case of a stroke survivor, in the toes either. That's why many foot drop sufferers wear braces, otherwise known as AFOs (ankle-foot orthosis). AFOs are designed to lift the foot in the dorsiflexion position.
From Manual to Automatic: The Joys of Technology
But what if the same effect can be achieved electronically? That's what devices like the WalkAide® and the Bioness® can duplicate through electronic stimulation. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) utilizes small electrical impulses to stimulate the peroneal nerve and thereby lift the foot to improve mobility. Watch WalkAide® and Bioness® instructional videos. Although I only tested the Bioness once in therapy, the principles are the same.
As a WalkAide® user for the past three and a half years, I can attest to the fact that the WalkAide® does indeed lift the foot in coordination with my other step. Since my stroke, I have relied on my device for assistance in getting from one place to another. When I first got my device, I would use it separate from my AFO, which I wear for that and my weak right ankle. Then a man, who was attending Austin Speech Labs with me at the time, suggested I wear them together as complements to one another. What a novel idea!
Any FES system must be fitted by a licensed physical therapist trained on that device, due to all the technical and software components. Pros and Cons to the FES systems for assisted walking for those suffering from foot drop are explained in the section below.
My closet is chocked full with memories of odd shoes, braces soft and hard, shoe linings, electrodes and shoeboxes. I have gotten rid of most of the stuff, and am more selective about what I have allowed into my closet. All of it was an attempt to make walking easier after my stroke. Hemiplegia took its toll on the right side of my body. I went through phases where I worked on one issue at the time. My speech, my walking, my arm, my aphasia, were all competing for attention. This review is a result of a desire, over three and a half years, to improve my walking mobility.
Footdrop or Dropfoot, It's All the Same
People who suffer from footdrop know that it can be a major hindrance in getting from one place to another. When walking, the instep never extends, it just flops at the ankle and can cause falls when the toes drag. Many times you see people with drop foot dragging their foot behind, at an angle. As you can imagine, this is a dangerous situation because the foot can not clear the toes, and might result in a fall.
There is no dorsiflexion in the foot, and in the case of a stroke survivor, in the toes either. That's why many foot drop sufferers wear braces, otherwise known as AFOs (ankle-foot orthosis). AFOs are designed to lift the foot in the dorsiflexion position.
From Manual to Automatic: The Joys of Technology
But what if the same effect can be achieved electronically? That's what devices like the WalkAide® and the Bioness® can duplicate through electronic stimulation. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) utilizes small electrical impulses to stimulate the peroneal nerve and thereby lift the foot to improve mobility. Watch WalkAide® and Bioness® instructional videos. Although I only tested the Bioness once in therapy, the principles are the same.
As a WalkAide® user for the past three and a half years, I can attest to the fact that the WalkAide® does indeed lift the foot in coordination with my other step. Since my stroke, I have relied on my device for assistance in getting from one place to another. When I first got my device, I would use it separate from my AFO, which I wear for that and my weak right ankle. Then a man, who was attending Austin Speech Labs with me at the time, suggested I wear them together as complements to one another. What a novel idea!
Any FES system must be fitted by a licensed physical therapist trained on that device, due to all the technical and software components. Pros and Cons to the FES systems for assisted walking for those suffering from foot drop are explained in the section below.
Pros
- With WalkAide® a person can walk barefoot (not recommended, but I do it when it's convenient).
- Bioness® allows a person to run.
- Less likelihood of toes dragging and causing falls.
- Can wear same size shoes.
- The WalkAide® runs on a single AA battery that lasts 2-3 weeks. I find that to be amazing. Whereas, its competition (Bioness®) has a rechargeable AAA battery that should be replaced every 2 years.
- Device beeps when battery needs changing.
- Easily clips to the leg calf.
- WalkAide® features programmable exercise mode for dorsiflexion.
- Electrodes are placed to activate peroneal nerve which lifts foot.
- WalkAide® has removable lining in the cuff for washing. Just drop it in your washing machine when it gets too stinky. I recommend not using a dryer because it may shrink. Click here for more information on taking care of a WalkAide®
- Click here for Bioness® maintenance.
Cons
- Cost for a WalkAide® unit is between $4600 and $3200, depending on where you get it. The Bioness® is around $6,000 for the cuff, gait sensor, and wireless control unit.
- As of this writing, insurance will not cover the device, willingly. Appeals must be sustained in order for insurance companies to come around. See chasa.org/insurance-approval-walkaide-bioness-toe-drop/ .
- But, insurance does cover part of the electrodes, with maybe a 25% co-pay.
- Retail price for electrodes is about $625. I usually co-pay around $160 with my Hanger discount, for a package of 10 with four electrodes in each package. A WalkAide® requires two electrodes. The pack lasts about 10 months.
- Electrodes wear out in about 2 weeks. Should be replaced when they lose adherence or begin losing integrity.
- Device carries a current that stimulates the peroneal nerve, which can feel like a small, buzzing electrical charge. Takes some getting used to.
- The wearer must be conscious of the possibility of burns where the electrode attaches to the skin. If this occurs, apply skin irritant soothing lotion. Electrodes should not be worn while irritations persist.
- Adjustments may be necessary to the programmable devices.
Plastic and Metal versus Electronics and Wireless
In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. The cost is the biggest obstacle to purchasing the FES unit. I was fortunate enough to have two angels come to my rescue and foot the bill, so to speak. The electrode expense comes around every 10 months, so I can brace myself for that one. And speaking of braces, there is much to be said about AFOs and the job they do.
My AFO brace is a lifesaver. Batteries never need to be replaced or recharged. No electrodes needed. It's always ready to go whenever I slap it on. It gives my ankle needed support and keeps my foot in semi-dorsiflexion so I am able to get around safely.
But when used in conjunction with the WalkAide® and everything is positioned just right, I can move with more agility, confidence, and a bit of swagger. The only thing holding me back is my hyperextended knee. If my knee does not hyperextend, I feel I just might run.
I am very fortunate to own both, the FES and the AFO, that I can combine or use individually. Each stroke survivor's symptoms are unique. The more options you have, the better.
In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. The cost is the biggest obstacle to purchasing the FES unit. I was fortunate enough to have two angels come to my rescue and foot the bill, so to speak. The electrode expense comes around every 10 months, so I can brace myself for that one. And speaking of braces, there is much to be said about AFOs and the job they do.
My AFO brace is a lifesaver. Batteries never need to be replaced or recharged. No electrodes needed. It's always ready to go whenever I slap it on. It gives my ankle needed support and keeps my foot in semi-dorsiflexion so I am able to get around safely.
But when used in conjunction with the WalkAide® and everything is positioned just right, I can move with more agility, confidence, and a bit of swagger. The only thing holding me back is my hyperextended knee. If my knee does not hyperextend, I feel I just might run.
I am very fortunate to own both, the FES and the AFO, that I can combine or use individually. Each stroke survivor's symptoms are unique. The more options you have, the better.