Orthotics is a sub-discipline of medicine that deals with the production of custom external supports.
Our orthotists and technicians are on hand to enhance the health of our patients by prescribing and designing custom orthoses that support and correct issues that affect their skeletal or neuromuscular system.
How do you define an orthotist?
A orthotist can be described as an health professional from the allied field who is knowledgeable in biomechanics and material sciences as well as pathophysiology and engineering. They are certified in the design, fitting and care of orthoses. They will be HCPC certified and a member of the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO).
How do you define orthoses?
Orthoses are supports or devices which are applied to the outside of the body in order to help, prevent, or correct deformities and enhance biomechanical performance. From the head down, they address the cranial remoulding process for plagiocephaly all the way to insoles for plantar faciitis.
The functions of orthoses
Accommodate
Sometimes, joints are fixed in an unnatural position, as when you have feet that are fixed in a way that it’s unable to be able to fit in shoes. In order to treat this the best way, we’ll be able to prescribe special footwear to accommodate the different posture of your foot and then add specific adaptions to ensure that you receive the best performance from your lower limbs and feet.
Prevent
Certain conditions are progressive and the function and shape of joints can change with time. Certain orthoses may be able to slow the progress of some of these ailments. For example, for the case of a child suffering from cerebral palsy, the use of orthoses for the ankle will improve the function of the foot and also reduce the rate of development of contractures in the ankle. This will decrease surgeries as well as enhance your comfort.
Right
Certain conditions can be corrected through the use of an orthosis. For instance the use of for example, the Steeper chest brace during treatments for pectus (or carinatum) (‘pigeon chest’). The brace gradually compresses the sternum and allows the cartilage to grow into a better form.
Enhance biomechanical function
The way our bodies move is a result of a precise balance between the skeletal neuromuscular and muscular systems. There may be a problem within one or the other and it can be corrected with orthoses that are made to help with the specific problem. This could be as easy as an insole for a shoe to help support soft tissues that are stretched and cause pain, or a knee-ankle foot orthosis which helps restore the strength required by the leg for standing.
