How to Use ShearBan to Eliminate Irritation on Proximal Brims of AFO’s

Have you had trouble achieving comfort with AFO’s due to irritation around the proximal brim? We’ve had excellent results with applying a small strip of ShearBan^® material around the brim of AFO’s. This technique results in a wrinkle-free, cosmetically appealing and functional device that won’t rub AFO wearers the wrong way.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on applying ShearBan^® around the brim of an AFO. This technique can also be used for other braces, including off-the-shelf braces, wrist-hand orthoses and elbow contracture orthoses.

You’ll need:

*A piece of ShearBan^® which you’ll cut to size based on the length of the brim.

*A sharp scissors. We used a small folding scissors, available from many outdoor retailers and also from http://shop.tamarackhti.com. A curved-blade scissors will also do the trick.

Step 1 (below):

Cut a 1.5″ to 2″ wide piece of ShearBan from a sheet of ShearBan (model 749).

Since we are fitting a pediatric brace, our piece measures 1.5″ wide by 7″ long.

Steps 2 & 3 (below):

Apply patch from inside of the AFO so that at least 1″ or about 2/3 of the patch width is inside the brace.

Fold the entire remaining piece of ShearBan over the back side of the brace. Press firmly to secure.

ShearBan is available from O&P product suppliers worldwide. For more ShearBan^® application tips, technical presentations and literature, visit www.shearban.com.