Ankle/foot orthosis

The combination of a foot and ankle orthosis, and a cover for the foot and ankle orthosis to hold the orthosis in place on a patient's foot and lower leg and to relieve pressure from the material of the orthosis against the tissue of the patient's foot and lower leg,

• wherein the orthosis comprises a generally L-shaped support member which, when the orthosis is in normal use position, has a leg portion positioned behind the patient's lower leg, a heel portion positioned behind the patient's heel and Achilles' tendon area, and a foot portion positioned substantially entirely against the sole of the patient's foot, the foot portion having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• a walking sole plate which is releasably connectable to the generally L-shaped support member, to thereby permit optional use by the patient of the walking sole plate in combination with the generally L-shaped support member for facilitating ambulation by the patient;
• a manually operable locking mechanism attached to the lower surface of the foot portion of the generally L-shaped support member, to thereby permit rapid, selectively;
• releasable connection of the walking sole plate to the generally L-shaped support member, wherein the manually operable locking mechanism attached to the bottom surface of the foot portion of the L-shaped support member includes a first base plate and a second base plate, the first base plate and the second base plate being fixed to the lower surface of the semi-rigid foot bed and positioned substantially parallel to each other and transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the semi-rigid foot bed, the first base plate being disposed forwardly of the second base plate, a connecting plate fixed to the second base plate and extending outwardly and rearwardly therefrom, thereby defining a space between the lower surface of the semi-rigid foot bed and an upper surface of the connecting plate to receive and retain a portion of the semi-rigid foot bed of the walking sole plate, and a key nut rotatably connected to the first base plate and extending outwardly therefrom to further retain the semi-rigid foot bed in position for selective operative use of the walking sole plate and to permit ready, manual release of the walking sole plate from an operative position thereof;
• and
• further wherein the cover comprises a plurality of flexible material sections connected together as a single unit shaped to cover substantially all of the patient's foot, but leaving the toes free and unencumbered.