If you’ve ever had a patient look you in the eye and say, “Please don’t put me back in a walking boot,” this conversation is for you. In our recent webinar, orthopedic surgeon Fred Ferlic, MD; TayCo Brace CEO Gavin Ferlic; and coding and compliance expert Paul Kesselman, DPM unpacked with David Zuckerman, DPM why clinicians are moving beyond traditional inside-the-shoe bracing and walking boots toward over-the-shoe stabilization with TayCo Brace.
Why Clinicians Are Rethinking Walking Boots
Walking boots stabilize, but they also slow people down. Patients report knee, hip, and back discomfort, gait asymmetry from limb-length discrepancy, and low day-to-day satisfaction. Most importantly, boots keep people from doing the things they love, whether that’s getting to church, working a shift in steel-toe footwear, or making it through a college campus.
TayCo Brace was designed in response to that reality. It’s an external ankle and hindfoot brace that fits over the shoe, so patients can stabilize and move in real footwear.
What Makes TayCo Brace Different
Outside-the-shoe stability. By anchoring to the shoe, the uprights control the shoe and the shoe controls the ankle and hindfoot. Think “mounting to concrete instead of drywall.”
Wider base of support. Similar to an I-beam concept, a slightly wider base yields a disproportionately large increase in inversion-eversion control. Patients feel stable without the bulk.
Progression through care. The TayCo Acute XAB and RecoverX Braces can start fixed—like a boot alternative—then be adjusted to controlled or free motion as symptoms improve. That lets you protect early and restore function on schedule.
Comfort and compliance. It’s quick to don, doesn’t require upsizing footwear, and conforms to calf shape by simply bending the uprights to fit.
Performance snapshot from the webinar. University-based biomechanical studies presented show TayCo Brace can achieve stability approaching that of a walking boot, without the boot’s compromises, which is why trainers and teams deploy it on the sideline for same-game return when appropriate.
The Two Workhorse Products for Physicians to Know
- TayCo Acute XAB Brace: Your boot alternative for acute care and post-op protection. Sized by shoe size, custom fitted in minutes, and adjustable as swelling subsides.
- TayCo AthleticX Brace: A next-level upgrade from lace-up braces. Lightweight, low profile, easy for seniors to don, and engineered for substantial medial-lateral control during activity.
A custom-fabricated AFO option is available when deformity, duration of wear, or long-term stability needs go beyond an off-the-shelf pathway. It can be worn with a custom orthotic so you don’t compromise underfoot support.
Clinical Indications Discussed
- Grade II–III sprains after initial swelling control
- Stable and surgically treated fractures as patients transition out of splints or casts
- Chronic ankle instability
- PTTD and other hindfoot pathologies
- Peroneal and Achilles tendinopathies due to reduced medial-lateral sway
- Post-op protection for fusions and total ankle, with quicker return to function in real footwear
Practical Footwear Guidance
Advise patients to use a rigid walking or jogging shoe, work boot, hiking boot, or diabetic shoe. Sizing is by shoe size, and uprights can be bent outward or inward to match calf shape. Pairing TayCo Brace with a proper orthotic remains essential for long-term foot mechanics, especially in progressive flatfoot.
Return to Life and Work
Because TayCo Brace fits over everyday footwear, it’s OSHA-compatible for many workplaces and allows earlier, safer functional activity than a walking boot. That’s why employers and athletes appreciate it, and why patients often report higher satisfaction. In short, it helps people get back to the things they love faster.
Billing, Coding, and Compliance Highlights
Dr. Kesselman emphasized that TayCo Brace products have PDAC validation for the codes discussed in the session. For Medicare billing of DME items, clinics must be properly enrolled with the appropriate National Provider Enrollment contractor and document custom fitting when applicable.
Tips From the Webinar:
- For custom fitted devices, document the adjustment you performed beyond minimal self-adjustment. A common example is bending the uprights to fit the patient’s calf.
- Consider the care pathway: many clinicians transition from splint/boot during peak swelling to TayCo Acute XAB Brace for protection with function, then progress motion as tolerated.
- If “same and similar” is a barrier, discuss options with patients to avoid delays while positioning them for the brace that best supports outcomes.
Questions Clinicians Asked: Quick Answers
Can patients drive? Use clinical judgment. Because TayCo Brace is worn over a shoe, many patients can drive sooner than in a boot, but always consider side, vehicle type, medications, and safety.
Does it fit large or unique anatomies? Yes. Uprights can be conformed to calf shape, and sizing spans from small women’s to very large men’s shoes. Custom fabrication covers outliers.
Can it be used with orthotics? Yes. In fact, combining TayCo Brace with an appropriate orthotic is encouraged for many pathologies.
A Simple Way to Evaluate in Your Clinic
- Identify a patient struggling in a walking boot or an inside-the-shoe brace.
- Fit TayCo Acute XAB Brace over their everyday shoe.
- Compare comfort, symmetry, and functional confidence over several days.
- Adjust motion settings as symptoms allow and document the progression.
The Bigger Picture
The goal is not just stability—it’s functional stability in real life. TayCo Brace helps you protect tissues, progress motion thoughtfully, and keep patients moving in their own footwear. That combination is why athletic programs, military units, and clinics are adopting it, and why patients tell their friends about the experience.
If you’d like help choosing the right TayCo Brace pathway for your next patient, contact us to get started.
