The DAFO® Guide to brace selection
MILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Visible medial arch. Mild heel eversion and forefoot abduction.

Reduced medial arch. Moderate heel eversion and forefoot abduction.

Absent medial arch. Strong heel eversion and forefoot abduction.

Can correct when prompted.

Can improve when prompted.

Cannot improve when prompted.

Can be manually corrected with no resistance.

Can be manually corrected with mild resistance.

Can be manually corrected with moderate resistance.

Low Tone
Pronation

PattiBob®

Bug®

MILD

High Tone
Pronation | Supination

Swing Phase
Inconsistency

Excess Plantarflexion
Toe Walking

Knee Hyperextension

Positioning
Limited Ambulation

DAFO 4

JumpStart® Leap Frog®

MODERATE

STRONG

HIGH TONE PRONATIONHIGH TONE SUPINATIONHIGH TONE PRONATIONHIGH TONE SUPINATIONHIGH TONE PRONATIONHIGH TONE SUPINATION

Visible medial arch. Mild heel
eversion and forefoot abduction.
Can correct when prompted.
Can be manually corrected withmild resistance.

Mildly increased medial arch. Mildheel inversion and forefoot adduction.
Can correct when prompted.
Can be manually corrected withmild resistance.

Reduced medial arch. Moderate heel
eversion and forefoot abduction.
Can improve when prompted.
Can be manually corrected withmoderate resistance.

Increased medial arch. Moderateheel inversion and forefoot adduction.
Can improve when prompted.
Can be manually corrected withmoderate resistance.

Absent medial arch. Strong heel
eversion and forefoot abduction.
Cannot correct when prompted.
Can be manually corrected with strong
resistance or cannot be corrected.

Significantly increased medial arch. Strong
heel inversion and forefoot adduction.
Cannot correct when prompted.
Can be manually corrected with strong
resistance or cannot be corrected.

Chipmunk

DAFO 4

JumpStart

Leap Frog

Pronation only

JumpStart Bunny®

DAFO 4Wrap-around strap

DAFO Tami2

Wrap-around strap

DAFO 3.5

Free ankle

Very flexible strut

MILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Lands heel first. No obvious compensations of the knee and hip.

Lands foot-flat, accompanied by pronation/supination.
Some compensations of the knee and hip.

Lands forefoot-first, accompanied by pronation/supination.
Marked compensations of the knee and hip.

Occurs occasionally (less than 80% of the time).

Occurs almost always (80% of the time).

Occurs constantly (100% of the time).

Can control when prompted.

Can improve when prompted.

Cannot control when prompted.

JumpStart Bunny

DAFO 4Wrap-around strap

DAFO 3.5

Wrap-around strap

DAFO 3.5

Very flexible strut & elastic anterior strap

DAFO FlexiSport

Semi-rigid strut & elastic anterior strap

Moderately flexible strut

MILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Ankle plantarflexion: 0°.

Ankle plantarflexion: 0–2°.

Ankle plantarflexion: 2° or more.

Occurs occasionally (less than 50% of the time).

Occurs frequently (more than 50% of the time).

Occurs constantly (100% of the time).

Can correct when prompted.

Can improve when prompted.

Cannot correct when prompted.

Can be manually corrected with mild resistance.

Can be manually corrected with moderate resistance.

Can be manually corrected with strong resistance or cannot becorrected.

JumpStart Bunny

DAFO 4

Posterior strap

JumpStart

Softback

Posterior strap

DAFO
Softback

DAFO 3.5

DAFO FlexiSport

Moderately flexible strut

Moderately flexible strut

JumpStart

Kangaroo®

DAFO 3DAFO Tami2
PF blockMILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Gentle knee hyperextension: 0–2°.

Marked knee hyperextension: 2–5°.

Significant knee hyperextension: 5° or more.

Occurs occasionally (less than 50% of the time).

Occurs frequently (more than 50% of the time).

Occurs constantly (100% of the time).

Can correct when prompted.

Can improve when prompted.

Cannot correct when prompted.

Can be manually corrected with mild resistance.

Can be manually corrected with moderate resistance.

Can be manually corrected with strong resistance.

DAFO 4

JumpStart Bunny

JumpStart

SoftbackPosterior strap

Posterior strap

Excess Dorsiflexion
CrouchingChipmunk®

DAFOSoftback

DAFO 3.5

DAFO FlexiSport

Moderately flexible strut

Moderately flexible strut

JumpStart

Kangaroo

DAFO 3DAFO Tami2
PF block

MILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Gentle excess dorsiflexion and knee flexion: 5–10°.

Marked excess dorsiflexion and knee flexion: 10–15°.

Significant excess dorsiflexion and knee flexion: 15° or more.

Occurs occasionally (less than 50% of the time).

Occurs frequently (more than 50% of the time).

Occurs constantly (100% of the time).

Can correct when prompted.

Can improve when prompted.

Cannot correct when prompted.

Can be manually corrected with mild resistance.

Can be manually corrected with moderate resistance.

Can be manually corrected with strong resistance or cannot becorrected.

JumpStart Bunny

DAFO 4Wrap-around strap

Wrap-around strap

DAFO 3.5

Semi-rigid strut & solid anterior strap

DAFO FlexiSport
Semi-rigid strut

DAFO FADAFO Turbo

MILD

MODERATE

STRONG

Accompanied by mild pronation/supination.

Accompanied by moderate pronation/supination.

Accompanied by strong pronation/supination.

Occasional assisted ambulation.

Frequent assisted ambulation.

Assisted transfers only; or non-weight-bearing.

Can be manually corrected with moderate resistance.

Can be manually improved.

Cannot be manually corrected.

JumpStart Bunny
Posterior strap

DAFO 4 Softy®
Posterior strap

Helping kids lead healthier, happier lives®

DAFO
Softback Softy®

JumpStart

Kangaroo

Cascade Dafo, Inc.

DAFO 3.5 Softy
Moderately flexible strut

1360 Sunset Ave.
Ferndale, WA 98248

DAFO 8 Softy

ph: 800.848.7332
fax: 855.543.0092

DAFO 2DAFO 2

DAFOFloor Reaction

DAFO Turbo Softy

intl: +1 360 543 9306
www.cascadedafo.com