Survey on AFO Prescription Practices in Stroke Rehabilitation

Colleagues and friends in orthotics & prosthetics,

Would you please spare a few minutes to complete an important survey being led by Renad Albasri (PhD candidate in stroke rehabilitation & AFO prescription)? This research aims to gain insights into clinical decision-making around ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) after stroke — and it needs your voice.

Why your input matters:

• Every day in clinics and workshops across the MEA region we face challenging choices about which AFO type to prescribe, when to intervene, how to measure outcomes — and yet the evidence base remains incomplete. In fact, a recent review showed that many studies of AFOs post-stroke provide insufficient specification of devices, participant characteristics and methodology. University of Strathclyde

• By contributing your experience, judgment and real-world challenges, you help create a dataset that will:

  • Inform future guidelines and evidence-based practice

  • Highlight regional practice patterns, gaps and opportunities

  • Help ensure that AFOs deliver better functional outcomes for stroke survivors

• As you know, the MEA region presents unique challenges (resource constraints, diverse caseloads, outreach settings, varying device availability). Your local voice is particularly valuable.

What’s in it for you:

• It’s quick, online, and totally anonymous (unless you opt-in for follow-up).

• The results may be shared back as a summary paper or presentation — so you’ll be part of the knowledge pool advancing our profession.

• It’s a chance to influence how AFOs are prescribed, built, monitored and evaluated in real-world settings — not just in textbooks.

How to help:

1. Click the survey link

2. Complete the questionnaire honestly — there are no right or wrong answers, just your professional insight.

3. Share the link with your peers — orthotists, physiotherapists, O&P technicians, rehabilitation specialists — anyone who works with AFOs after stroke. The broader the participation, the more robust the findings.

4. If you’re interested, leave a note at the end of the survey to receive the summary results when they are published.

A small investment of your time can yield big benefits: stronger evidence, better clinical choices, improved patient mobility and independence. Together we can move the dial on stroke rehab in O&P.

Thank you in advance for your contribution — your expertise matters