Lycra Splints for people with cerebral palsy

Georgie

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether you have to pay for new lycra splints? I'm 24 and when I'm 25 I will be discharged from the place that currently provide my lycra splints.

I was told once I'm discharged I will have to go to my GP and they will refer me to orthoics if I ever need new lycra splints, but I'm not sure if you have to pay for the splints or not, and if I do how much it would cost?

Thank you for reading

Georgie

Debbie_Alumni

Hi Georgie,

We're not sure if there is a definitive answer to your question because much will depend on the local NHS Trust in your area and whether they are able to provide the funding for this. Talk to your GP and they will be able to tell you more.

Also check out http://www.secondskin.com.au/ to see if you have a clinic near you.

Hope this helps

Georgie

Thank you very much for your help

Georgie

Noah

Hi Georgie,

Please let us know how you get on with you Lycra splints, they sound really interesting. Do they correct your foot position, and improve your gait? Do they get very hot? Sorry lots of questions, I also have CP and have hinged plastic AFO's, but always looking for new lighter solutions that allow one to have normal size shoes!

Noah

Georgie

Hi Noah,

I was asked to try lycra splints a few years ago because I'm able to walk normally. The problem I have is because I've walked on my toes all of my life due to CP, I struggle remembering to walk normally. Lycra splints don't stop me walking on my toes, but I find I'm able to balance a lot better with them.

They do tend to get hot in the summer, but I used to wear plastic splints as a child, and the lycra splints don't get anywhere near as hot as they used to. The lycra splints are a lot more comfortable to wear, and I don't notice I'm wearing them, and I only have to go one shoe size above my normal size.

Sorry for the long reply. I hope I managed to help

Georgie

Noah

Thanks for that - very helpful information and a huge help.

Georgie

I'm glad I could help

Georgie

Stayce

Hi Georgie,
The likelihood is that your GP will send a letter to your local NHS hospital commissioning board requesting the item to be funded locally

I use DMO Ltd Lycra splints https://www.dmorthotics.com. Privately a Lycra sock costs around €300

Hi Noah,

I thought this maybe helpful. I am able to wear normal sized shoes with Lycra splinting. Very light weight improves sensory feedback. If choose the right colour not that hot in the summer months.

Georgie

Thanks Stayce. What colour do you choose so they don't get too hot in the summer months?

Stayce

For summer months I find beige is the best material as it is less dense and slightly more lightweight and breathable. Darker colour (black, blue etc) lycra I have found will last longer and need less repairs because of the dye process of the material.

Georgie

Thank you. I've never tried any other colour other than blue. I'll have to try beige

Stayce

No problem, I hope it helps. I also have my lycra sock made with a complete soft toe portion, so as not to have to wear another sock over the top of the lycra splint, which may also help with heat.

Georgie

Brilliant. I will speak to them about that too because I have to put another sock over my splints

Stayce

Great - Let me know how you get on and if I can be of any further help, just message me via this forum. I have been wearing lycra splints for 6 years and have learnt some tricks Good luck

Georgie

Thank you very much. I've only been wearing them for around 4 years

Stayce

No problem, if you are going to ask for a toe panel to be added - ask for a soft toe panel. Don't let them add a toe panel made of lycra as this will increase the muscle tone in your toes. Good luck

Georgie

Thank you. I will do

Noah

Thank you for all your comments, not sure how I missed a lot of this conversation. Anymore feedback on lycra splints? I'm currently carrying out some research as I would definitely like to try them out and see how they compare to my plastic hinged afo's.

Noah

Georgie

I love my lyrch splints. They're easy to put on, and once you get used to them, you can't feel you're wearing them. Before I had my lyrch splints I had plastic splints. They were very difficult because you had to get your foot into them at the right angle, you had to get shoes 2 sizes bigger than your foot size, in the summer they got very hot and hard to walk in. Lyrch splints don't get as hot in the summer as my plastic splints did

Stayce

Hi Noah and Georgie - Hope you are both well.

I too love my lycra splints. I would definitely encourage giving them a try. Best piece of orthotic kit I own. Having right sided Hemi I have a lycra sock and glove. Noah - I think for anyone thinking about trying lycra splints I would ask them What would you like to get out of them that you currently don't from your current splinting option? What is your sensation like in affected limbs? What is your muscle tone like?

I have reduced sensation in my right side - the lycra gives me some sensation back, and proseptive awareness of where my foot and hand are.

My muscle tone is high - with lycra splinting you can feel the muscle tone physically dropping. You also get some carry over affects once you have removed garment too.

Basically the garments are stitched in a variety of panels - panels which will reduce tone in high tone areas and other panels which will attempt to activate muscle that maybe don't work so well, providing some strength/ support

I wear a neuro template insole in my shoe as well as lycra Sock and do not need to increase my shoe size at all.

Noah if you need any further help with this or have any further questions please get in touch. Happy to help with this. I have done a lot of research on this. Hope this is helpful

Best wishes
Stayce

Noah

Thanks Stayce,

It all sounds most interesting and hopefully I will have the opportunity of trying some out. My muscle tone is also very high, in both my legs.

I love the idea of being able to have greater sensation in my legs, and not having to wear shoes that are 1 size to big!

Did you have to go private? or did you get them on the NHS?

Thanks also for your great comments on my other post, you really have provided us with some very valuable information, I will be adding to that post soon the things that I have also found helpful in managing my CP.

Kind regards

Noah