SoftEase | New Product Family

Cascade Dafo has introduced a new product family—SoftEase^TM. This innovative new product offering is a brace concept for patients with bony feet, especially those with significant misalignment and who are prone to irritation and discomfort when wearing their braces.

The SoftEase product incorporates a cushioned liner within a modified shell in a variety of Cascade brace styles, offering patients greater overall comfort throughout the ankle and foot while still providing exceptional control.

Over the years through our work with patients and practitioners, we have seen a certain population of patients who are consistently challenged by discomfort with specific hot spots in their braces. Sometimes the discomfort affects skin health and compliance.

Cascade conceptualized the unique foam and plastic configuration to reduce and eliminate the discomfort with hot spots without reducing the support of the brace. A proprietary manufacturing method has been developed that requires the fabrication of the liner in conjunction with the plastic. This manufacturing method is critical to the good custom fit necessary for an effective brace.

The newly designed liner molds to the foot and disperses the pressure generated by the outer brace shell over a wider area of the foot. The foam liner is essentially a full inner boot that helps to hold the foot in a good biomechanical position. While the liner hugs the foot, it also acts as an interface between the patient and the supportive plastic shell. The full liner also gives the patient a continuous sensory surface essential to the many patients with sensory challenges.

The configuration of the foam and plastic ensures virtually no edge pressure on the foot or ankle and provides more open trim lines on the shell, making donning and doffing easier. The design creates a more flexible forefoot in the gait cycle for those patients who walk and run. The outer shell continues to support the foot medially-laterally while minimizing any additional stiffness that would limit gait as the patient ambulates.

Positive feedback has been received in testing and early use of the products. Practitioners indicated that patients were more compliant and more comfortable, and caregivers found the design easier to don and doff.

Like all Cascade braces, the fit is still critical to the effectiveness. Custom molding is required and must be executed precisely as with any custom DAFO to gain the additional comfort and support.

For more information and to receive the new order forms for the SoftEase product line, visit Cascade Dafo at www.dafo.com/index.cfm?pageID=2172 or call customer service, 1.800.848.7332.