Innovative, Comfortable and Affordable

The team at the University of Iowa developed the Iowa Brace with an emphasis on lifestyle and comfort. It was especially important to set a new wearability standard because discomfort and skin irritations are two of the most common reasons for discontinued use among patients.

The Iowa Brace is constructed of a breathable mesh that maximizes ventilation and provides lightweight durability. Its cushioned tongue helps prevent skin irritation on the top of the patient’s feet, and eliminates the need for third-party add-ons. The one-of-a-kind contoured AFO insert features a cupped heel counter that stabilizes the foot to both reduce friction and promote proper usage.

The Iowa Flexbar and platforms are injection molded from fiber-reinforced nylon that is lightweight and safe for children. The Iowa Flexbar gives the child freedom to move each foot independently enabling them to stretch the muscles and tendons.

Iowa Brace developers

The Iowa Brace maintains the correction that has been achieved via the Ponseti Method and prevents relapse of clubfoot. It was designed by a team of renowned specialists at the University of Iowa, including Dr. Nicole Grosland, professor of biomedical engineering; Dr. Thomas Cook, professor emeritus of public health and physical therapy; and Dr. Jose Morcuende, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and President of Ponseti International Association.  The Iowa Brace has the advantage of having been designed by experts who used their insights from decades of clinical experience treating children born with clubfoot.

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Iowa Brace Design FAQs

Below are questions that are frequently asked about the design of the Iowa Brace. Our very own Dr. Morcuende, the lead designer of the Iowa Brace and worldwide expert in clubfoot deformity correction, provides clinical answers about the design features of the Iowa Brace.

There are no clinical data on rotational angle differences with the recommendation of 60 to 70 degrees of abduction. Biomechanical data and comfort suggest 60 degrees is a good angle to stretch the muscles. In some children, 70 degrees’ abduction can be too much rotation leading to external tibia torsion. 70 degrees can also affect the child’s heel and result in additional valgus alignment leading to flatfoot in some children.

The Iowa Brace comes in three length bars: 8 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch. The length of the bar was calculated based on normalized data of children shoulder width, see attached shoulder width file on the CFS website. Your provider can choose any of the three lengths available for each patient. In addition, biomechanical data shows that more than 10 inches of width affects leg alignment and decreases stretching of the muscles. The CFS 12-inch bar measures 10 inches after connected.

Although the primary goal of clubfoot braces is to maintain the foot in the fully corrected position, the ability to wiggle around a little can make the process a bit more tolerable, can help with circulation, and, consequently, may increase adherence to the prescribed protocol. The connecting bar on the Iowa Brace is called a Flex Bar because it provides the young user with some limited movement when he or she actively pushes and pulls against it, but always returns to the intended position when the patient relaxes. As seen in the accompanying video, it appears that this one-year-old is doing his own stretching exercises!