Child's short leg iron with shoe, England, 1960-1980
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Attached to a shoe, the well padded short leg iron is like a splint worn to treat weak ankle joints. The leg iron was used at the Lord Mayor Treloar Orthopaedic Hospital in Alton, Hampshire, England. Founded in 1908, the hospital originally specialised in treating children with orthopaedic conditions, most notably those caused by tuberculosis and polio, although weak ankles could have been the result of a disease such as rickets.
Object number:
2002-331
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: rickets
A condition caused by a lack of vitamin D. Characterized by soft and deformed bones, which can lead to an increased number of injuries.
Glossary: splint
A rigid device of plastic, wood or plaster that serves to immobilize or support an injury. Generally strapped alongside an injured limb.