Ankle-foot orthosis having an orthotic footplate

An ankle-foot orthosis, comprising:

• a footplate having a line of progression extending from a heel portion to a middle portion to a toe portion of the footplate, the footplate including at least two superimposed and discrete structural layers including a plurality of fibers impregnated with a polymeric material, the two structural layers having a different length and extending along at least a segment of a length of the footplate, the footplate defining regions with different thicknesses and stiffness;
• a foot support having curvilinear side portions extending outwardly from opposed sides of at least a segment of the middle portion of the footplate and around the heel portion;
• and
• a leg support including a spring member connecting to the heel portion of the footplate and formed from a plurality of structural fibers impregnated with a polymeric material, the leg support including a first member having a center portion connecting to the spring member and two curvilinear side portions extending from the center portion;
• wherein the spring member and the at least two structural layers of the footplate are integrated together such that the fibers of the footplate are interleaved with the fibers of the spring member.

An ankle-foot orthosis having inner and outer surfaces spaced by a variable thickness, the orthosis comprising:

• an orthotic footplate comprising at least two superimposed, discrete structural layers having different lengths extending along at least a segment of a length of the footplate, the at least two structural layers defining regions of the footplate with different thicknesses and stiffness, wherein the layers include a plurality of fibers impregnated with a polymeric material;
• the longest of the structural layers extending along the outer surface of the orthosis;
• and
• a resilient posterior leg support being inseparably and continuously formed with a rear heel end of the orthotic footplate and extending outwardly therefrom so as to support at least a portion of a leg;
• wherein the footplate and the leg support continuously define the inner and outer surfaces of the orthosis, and combine to form a monolithic structure such that the variable thickness is uninterrupted, wherein the leg support member and the at least two structural layers of the footplate are integrated together such that the fibers of the footplate are interleaved with the fibers of the leg support member.