Another factor could be that it is more usual to have just the lower leg affected than just the upper leg; hence the utility of an AFO. So perhaps the orthotist was not used to a lower leg being fine when there is paresis in the upper leg. Well, usual or not that’s the way things really are with my left leg. I want to keep things as close to reality as possible so I don’t have to tell outright lies to people.

I told the orthotist that I had been able to get around okay with free ankles on the KAFOs. The upshot is that’s the way they still are and I’m fine with that.

Within the context of orthotics and disability, the “normal” mindset is to want less paralysis and bracing. It occurs to me that the profession has ways of dealing with “people like us”, which could include measuring how far from normal the mindset a client is, in the context of wanting or accepting more bracing than is physically necessary.

In my experience with guys who accepted my business without a prescription, one was nonchalant up to a point but was firm and clear about not crossing a line, and I respected that. The other guy was clearly uncomfortable with the whole idea, and actually tried to lecture me. He obviously did not understand our side, but he did understand his business enough to charge me more than we had agreed on. No respect for him, except for the workmanship on the “introductory” item.