One of the most common ways to manage motor impairments and to minimise gait deviation is the use of externally applied devices. Such devices, known as orthoses, are used to modify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromusculoskeletal system (Ponton 1997). To promote walking ability, ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are frequently prescribed to various groups of people who experience loss of control or impairments of muscle function around the ankle. AFOs are clinical devices designed to improve walking ability in the absence of natural substitutive patterns (Leung 2002; Michael 2008). It has been suggested that they improve the dynamic efficiency of gait, that is the degree to which the gait is well controlled and energy efficient. They can be designed with sufficient mechanical lever arms to control the ankle complex directly and to influence the knee joint indirectly (Michael 2008). There are many types of AFOs that may vary in their biomechanical designs and which are prescribed to people with hemiparesis. Broadly, they can be classified into prefabricated and custom-made orthoses. Prefabricated AFOs are usually made of plastic. There are a number of prefabricated designs available but the most common design is the posterior leaf spring. The benefits of prefabricated orthoses are few and they are only used for improving the swing phase of walking. They are often used temporarily, such as during early mobilisation before a custom-made orthosis can be made available. Custom-made orthoses are usually prescribed for more complex gait abnormalities associated with stroke. These AFOs are most appropriate for controlling significant ankle triplanar deformity and when knee or hip problems are present (Condie 2004; Condie 2008). There are many different designs of custom-made AFOs, such as: